The Night Market
by tricksie
Summary: Naruto never imagined he'd find the girl of his dreams dishing up ramen at the wrong end of an alley in the middle of the night. Now his comfortable life as a thief is upside down as he tries to get to know her while keeping his gang bosses happy. As the line between reality and disguise blurs, Naruto realizes that achieving her dream just might cost him his freedom. NS/Modern AU
1. Ramen Alley

**Chapter 1 - Ramen Alley**

The bowl of steaming ramen flashing in green and red neon from the side of the building signaled the best possible escape route. Eying the narrow, tightly packed alley beneath the sign, Naruto tugged his dark grey hoodie farther over his head and turned in, disappearing into the crowd of shoppers and eaters out enjoying the night market.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, brushing past the small folded parcel nestled there, hunched his shoulders and moved on quickly. He figured he was only steps ahead of them—

A trio of men appeared suddenly in front of him, a wall of sharp black suits blocking the front of the first ramen stand. Naruto froze automatically eyes darting over black jackets in front of him. What were _they_ doing here—

But the first suit belched loudly. Then the other two burst into laughter. Naruto angled up a quick glance up to see three salary men, letting loose for the night. They hooted with laughter, red-faced with food and drink, and parted around Naruto like a stream, never even noticing him. Together again, they jostled deeper into the tightly packed lane. The first one burped again, rubbed his belly and announced he was "ready to take another bite out of Ramen Alley!" as they aimed for door of another noodle shop.

Naruto let his shoulders drop a notch in relief and kept going. But only he'd only passed one more restaurant when a ruckus erupted from the mouth of crowded the alley.

A rush of men — half a dozen, all in blue uniforms — dashed past. He didn't have to turn back to know who it was…and who they were looking for. Under the shade of his hood a smug smile touched his lips. He'd outwitted the Konoha police plenty of times. _They_ didn't scare him.

Ducking deeper under his hood, Naruto picked up the pace and wound farther down the narrowing alley. The restaurants grew shabbier and the clog of eaters thinned out. Empty food containers piled beside overfull trash cans. A strip of opaque sky drifted far above towering apartment buildings, nearly hidden beyond laundry lines and electrical wires.

The lane narrowed down to a mere strip only wide enough for two or three people. The flashing signs above each door overlapped one another, rendering them useless. The ramen shops here were mere closets of space, wide enough only for a few barstools and a squat little kitchen. Garish menu posters ate up precious wall space and lined each propped-open door, desperately enticing the hungry shopper who had strayed too far down—

"This way! I think I see him!"

Naruto stopped at an open door and pretended to read one of the garish pink menus taped there. Instead he watched the metal siding of the glass door. Reflected there was the silhouette of a lone police officer, looking hard down the alley and scanning the crowd. Two more appeared at his side. They pointed toward the deepest part of Ramen Alley, towards him, then began pushing in against the flow of shoppers.

Naruto swore to himself and quick-stepped around the door. He stopped and watched their progress through a gap in the menus. Halfway down the alley, the uniformed men descended upon another dark-hooded eater, pulling him out into the street and jerking back his hood. A brown-haired kid with thick glasses slurped in a mouthful of noodles, loudly declaring his innocence around his food. The three sharp-suited men on the stools beyond him exploded into laughter. The joke spread through the restaurant and spilled out into the street. Apparently the Konoha police had caught the wrong guy.

The energy was sucked out of the search. Pushing the kid back to his food amid the laughter, the officers stood looking angrily at patrons and shop-owners alike, maybe hoping to find some other trouble to apprehend so they didn't come back empty-handed. Another policeman waved from the mouth of the alley, summoning them back. Then they were gone.

Naruto let go of the breath he didn't realized he was holding. It clouded the glass between the menus. Now all he needed to do was deliver the package and—

"Oi! You just going to stand there looking at the menu or you gonna order something?"

Naruto turned slowly, surprised to hear a female voice snapping at him.

Behind the counter stood a slip of a girl, glaring thunderously at him, one hand balled at her waist, the other holding a a big metal ladle that jutted away from her.

Naruto couldn't help but stare. It was usually burly, greasy old men who ran dives like these. But this was a girl…. A rather _pretty_ girl.

With her bright green eyes and heart-shaped face, she looked more like one of the city girls who traveled in packs through the night market, smelling of perfume as they passed. Not cooking noodles….

Her head was wrapped in a traditional bandana, confirming that she was in fact the ramen cook, not just a pretty face helping out. The front of the once-white bandana was stained grey from years of use, just like any other hard-working man behind the pots on Ramen Alley. But under the tightly tied knot at the back a fringe of bright pink hair fanned out over the smooth skin of her neck. She was young, probably around 20, no older than him—

"Well? You going to order something or not," she snapped, a delicate eyebrow arching. "I haven't got all night!"

The corner of Naruto's mouth twitched at the contradiction in her demand. _Yes, in fact, she did have all night. She worked here, didn't she?_

She tapped the ladle on her aproned hip as she waited, pinning him with her green gaze.

Strangely, he found the spark of anger in her features only made her more attractive.

Naruto inhaled the warm air of the tiny shop. Ramen Alley always smelled as stale as an empty noodle carton. But in here the fragrance of broth and cooked meat was heady. The smell coated his tongue and made his stomach growl.

Tendrils of steam rose from the behind the counter and worked like fingers on him, unhitching the tension in his chest and beckoning him closer. Naruto found himself very tempted to stay….

After all, Konoha police never pursued anyone this far down the crowded alleys. He'd given them the slip, so he knew he was safe…. And he _was_ hungry. So why not…. Just this one time he'd break his own rule about finishing the job and stay…. Just for one bowl….

His stomach growled suddenly, as if sharing its opinion too.

He dipped his hand into his pocket, past the folded package he was supposed to be delivering, and fingered through the folded bills at the bottom. He certainly had enough money.

So with one more look into those green eyes, Naruto took the stool in front of the pretty cook and her rattling pots and pointed to the picture of pork ramen. His stomach rumbled again. "Extra pork."

Without a word the girl began dishing up the meal.

Elbows propped on the counter, fingers interlaced in front of his mouth, Naruto watched her from the shadow of his hood as she worked. She set water to boil, doused the noodles, ladled broth and cranked up the heat under the fry pan with as much familiarity as any cook in the alley, even though she looked like she should be out sailing along the broad lanes, shopping bags swinging from her pale arms.

He studied what he could see of her behind the bar. The apron nipped in at her waist, hinting at a girlish figure hidden beneath the dingy white work clothes. But he guessed she was more athletic than curvy. She hefted pots from burner to burner like she'd been doing it for years.

She stopped for a moment, checking the firmness of the noodles, then shot her patron a rebuking look for staring. But Naruto wasn't chastened. He continued tracking her movements, thinking how her eyes looked amazingly green against the her pale skin and grey clothes. The sweep of dark eyelashes against her cheeks only accentuated them. Then she was moving again, searing pork slices in the pan and yanking trays of toppings from a cooler before she kicking it closed with a foot. A small black and white television flickered from a high corner shelf, droning on about a local politician. Without looking up, she smacked the volume knob with her hand, silencing it.

More than just a third-rate ramen cook, she was as quick and dexterous as any of the old grannies in the night market stalls, slinging several dishes at once. But to Naruto she was an anomaly.

She turned back and was suddenly right in front of him, pork sizzling deep in the empty ramen bowl. She plucked lids off the rattling pots all while balancing the bowl in her hand and leaned over to check the contents. Steam left a fine mist on her forehead but she was satisfied. She swiped her face dry with the crook of her arm, scooped out a serving of noodles then plunged the ladle into the boiling broth.

Naruto heard a small, unladylike grunt when a spray of hot liquid hit tips of her fingers.

She may look like a society girl, he thought, but _this_ is what she does for a living. He wondered how she came to be dishing out ramen at the wrong end of a dark alley in the middle of the night—

A perfect steaming bowl of ramen was plunked down on the counter in front of him. She hoisted up the fry pan and slid another helping of pork on top, nestled among egg slices, chives and bamboo shoots. Finished, she tipped her head to the side and watched him cooly, waiting. Naruto fished out his money and laid it on the counter. Only after she'd collected the money up did she slide the bowl across.

Must be a tough place, he laughed inwardly as he scooted the bowl directly in front of him. But all other thoughts were quickly erased by the waves of steam that were wafting up, enticing him.

Naruto snapped his chopsticks, stomach growling impatiently, and inhaled his first bite. He breathed in broth and sucked down noodles in a single delicious slurp. It was heavenly. He took another bite, less greedy than the first, and savored more—

"Naruto?"

He looked up in stricken surprise. _How did she know my name—_

"You _want_ some," she said slowly, as if speaking to a child. When he still didn't answer she rolled her eyes and shook her head and lifted something at the edge of the counter.

It was only then that he saw the plate of pink and white fishcakes she was angling up at him.

He grimaced — at the food and his mistake — and refused with a jerk of his head. He dipped back to his bowl, and she shrugged, leaving him alone.

He never ate that stuff. Ever. It was bad enough he was named after it. After enduring a childhood of taunting, it seemed like it was fate's cruel joke to make him enjoy ramen so much.

But _this_ — he breathed in another waft of steam from the bowl — was much better than he'd had in a long, long time. He swirled his chopsticks, and slurped up another mouthful. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he'd had anything other than instant noodles. Must have been at the orphanage. And that was _years_ ago.

Naruto's eyes drifted to the pretty cook again as he ate. She was busy ladling out broth and stuffing cartons, even though there was no one else ordering.

He swirled up another mouthful, idly wondering just why he'd felt compelled to stay and eat. There was nothing special here. In fact, it was the very type of place he'd go a mile just to avoid.

Bright pink menus were tacked to every surface, full of garish pictures of over-glossed food and endlessly shedding cherry branches. "Sakura Ramen" was emblazoned across the top of each one.

The girl leaned into the small cooler, rummaging through plates of toppings. Some of her hair had escaped it's knot and stuck to her neck in sweaty pink streaks.

Naruto wondered darkly if her hair was part of some grand marketing scheme. It almost matched the pink on the menus. If he squinted. He chuckled to himself and slurped up another bite, enjoying the warm tang of the broth and the rubbery burst of the noodles, and feeling more full than he'd felt in…well, years. He didn't know a fresh meal could be so good.

The cook came back up to the counter. Maybe she was going to throw him out for not eating fast enough, he thought with a smirk. But he didn't look up to find out.

Hood still deep over his head, greedily cupping the delicious steam, Naruto watched her hands move on the other side of the counter. She fidgeted with her apron, checked her wristwatch, then the opened the pots, jangling a ladle in a nearly empty one.

Swirling the handle she produced one more scoop of golden broth and noodles, and to Naruto's surprise she dashed it into his bowl between bites.

He glanced up quizzically.

"On the house. It'll go to waste otherwise. Might as well someone eat it."

Naruto shook his head at how she'd somehow taken the niceness out of what might have been a kind gesture. But he didn't refuse it.

And she didn't seem to care. She turned quickly away, but instead of fixing up another pot, she took off her apron and flung it over a stack of text books on a low table behind the counter. Then she scooped up the sack of cartons she'd just prepared and disappeared through the back of the kitchen, propping the door open as she went.

Naruto bent back to his ramen, perfectly satisfied to eat without distraction.

It wasn't long though before another customer entered the shop. Without moving, Naruto glanced at the reflection in a small glass-fronted refrigerator. It was dingy, but he could still see two boys, hovering just inside the door beside a cheap ceramic umbrella stand, pretending to look at the menus plastered on the wall.

He took another slow slurp of noodles.

They looked to be about 12, just old enough to get in to trouble. One black-headed, one blond. The boys nervously glanced from Naruto to the empty kitchen, whispering between them.

"But, she's gone—" the blond whined.

"Doesn't matter. Somebody's eating. Too risky."

Eyes never leaving Naruto's back, the dark-haired kid tore a paper menu off the door and shoved it in his pocket as if that were his reason for coming there, then sauntered out of the store, followed by his friend. Outside however they took off at a run.

Naruto laughed softly and tucked back into his ramen. He knew thieves when he saw them. And those kids were probably hoping to grab whatever they could from behind the counter while she was gone. That cute cook must leave every night at this time.

He shook his head at her mistake. Following the same routine made it much easier for kids like that — and men like him — to take whatever they wanted.

But since the food was so damned good, he was glad he was there. She gave him a second helping, and he was around to keep the money in her drawer. Well, for one more night at least. So they were even.

Those boys could have been him and Sasuke. He remembered that age, being a young nothing with too much anger and too much time. He and Sasuke raised hell for a while when they were 12 and 13. But at 14, everything changed.

Swirling his chopsticks slowly through the last of the broth, Naruto frowned at the memories. That was six long years ago—

A door scraped shut in the back of the kitchen. The girl came back, scanning everything. "Everything okay?"

Naruto caught the double meaning. Watching her scan the shop for anything missing, then looking back to his food, as if that's what she was concerned about, he realized she had given him another bowl so she could sneak out the back for a few minutes. He hitched his eyebrows, a little impressed that she was so crafty…but also that she was so foolish as to rely on someone like _him_ to babysit her shop.

Naruto sat back, wiping his mouth with his napkin, and looked at her. He thought about pulling back his hood and showing her what he really was. But he didn't want to rewrite her pretty features with fear.

Instead, he found he rather liked being the subject of her softening, expectant gaze. She was very pretty, actually. And she had apparently sized him up and decided he was trustworthy. She was wrong of course, but the implied flattery, her striking green eyes, and those two bowls of ramen must have gotten to him.

"Couple kids came in," he began. She narrowed her eyes knowingly, confirming to Naruto that she knew what those kids were about. "They seemed to know you'd be gone. I'd watch out for them if I were you."

She slipped back into the huff she had been in when he first walked in, and drummed her fingers on her hip. Perhaps she was expecting those kids and not an actual customer.

He didn't know why he felt compelled to go on, but he did. "You should change up your schedule. Never do the same thing twice. Makes it harder for them to…." His voice thinned out. She was already rolling her eyes as if she didn't need him explaining it.

"Yeah…thanks." Sarcasm laced her voice.

Of course, he thought, nearly rolling _his_ eyes. _She'd_ be no one's fool.

He stood, the corner of his mouth curving up at the thought that this girl was just as hardened as any of the old grannies in the night market too. The ones he knew never to steal from because they'd beat you with whatever was within arm's reach if they caught you. Not that they ever caught him, of course.

Still, she sure didn't look like one of the old ladies at the market. The saucy curl of her lips as she smirked at him and told him to "Have a good one" and the bounce of her hip as she turned was unmistakably girlish. And it had the same warming effect as the ramen did — it left him wanting a little more.

At the door Naruto glanced back. She had picked up her apron and was just flipping open the top book in the big stack.

He shoved his hand in his pocket, rustling the parcel that still needed to be delivered, and turned down the darkening alley. He felt full and content. Energized. Which was good…. It was just after midnight, and he still had a long night ahead of him.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

New story - this one is an AU Naru/Saku fic set in the modern city of Konoha. M for adult settings (seedy bars, strip joints, etc.). Have a few more stories in the works, and since the manga has officially ended, I decided to go ahead and put them up instead of waiting till I'm completely finished. Have updates coming for Single Step, Shattered Bonds and Voice in the Wind, in that order, so don't despair for those! They're coming! ;) Anyway, hope you like. Please read and review!


	2. Stolen Smile

**Chapter 2 - Stolen Smile**

The red cigarette tip in hovering in the dark was the only sign that Naruto's two contacts were waiting for him at the end of the alley. He didn't know why he was meeting them at the back door of a video game parlor, but he didn't ask questions. He just delivered the goods.

He scuffed over a flattened box he couldn't see, the edge nearly tripping him. It was so dark they wouldn't even be able to inspect their 'treasure.' But that didn't matter. They knew he was good for it.

No words were spoken. The cigarette glowed bright with a long inhale, then the shadowy figure in front opened the palm of his hand. Naruto passed over the parcel.

Upon hearing the rustle of paper, the man in back stepped forward and clicked on a pen light, shining a spotlight down. They all leaned in to admire a carved jade kimono hook nestled in white tissue paper. A magnificent dragon swooped over on itself in an elegant "S" shape. Its tale arced out to form the hook that would have held together the kimono of an old Konoha ruler. Under the light it gleamed like brand new. But the hook was almost 400 years old, or so Naruto had heard.

Naruto hadn't gotten a good look at it when he'd slid it out of its case and into his pocket. The tissue paper was to make sure he didn't touch anything. But now it made the old trinket look like a gift, and in the dark Naruto felt a little whiff of pride at lifting such a beautiful object. He didn't know much about art or history, but even he had to admit there was something beautiful about it. No wonder it was so valuable. It looked alive—

The man sniffed and pocketed the hook as thoughtlessly as if it were his cigarette lighter. The penlight clicked off. "You need to go back again. We need one more item—"

"What?! Why? I got what you asked—"

"Shhh!" his partner snapped from the steps behind him. "It's won't be a surprise visit if we give ourselves away!"

"What are you doing back here anyway," Naruto rejoined in a whisper, wrinkling his nose at the smell from trash and fetid water.

"They're holding out on us," his contact said quietly. "Nightly receipts. We're here to make it right." The red-tipped cigarette glowed again. "We need you to go back and get the other one too. The one beside it. The jade disk."

"Why—"

"Because he wants the other piece too, that's why! What's the matter? This shouldn't be a problem for you!"

"It's not! It's just that—"

"Did you get into any trouble?"

"No…."

"Good, I already told you about the three guards—"

"The guards were no sweat," Naruto said. And it was true. The three thick-necked security guards had been easy to outwit, although he skipped over the heart-stopping moment when he thought he saw them again in Ramen Alley. "But…I was chased by the cops."

"What?!" The cigarette jumped dangerously in the dark. The man behind him snorted a soft laugh.

"Wasn't my fault! There was a big robbery up on the High Street! Smashed windows, yellow tape, police everywhere. I walked right into it. Guess I fit their description cause they stayed on me for longer than usual." He gave a nervous laugh. "But I lost 'em down past the market."

"What'd you go up that way for? I told you to go around the long way, down by the wharf—"

Naruto tried to act nonchalant, but he breathed in the smoky air and coughed. "Bad info. I'd heard it was clear. Thought I'd save some time going the shorter route."

This earned him another contemptuous snort. "Who told you that? Somebody that must have had it out for you if that's the info they gave you—"

Naruto slid his eyes away, looking guilty, and the shadow jumped forward and shoved him hard. "What'd you listen to _him_ for!? I've told you not to trust a thing he says! Probably screwing you over to get to me. That whack-job—" His partner grabbed his jacket and hauled him back, whispering harshly, "Geez, let it go already. You're going to give us away!"

He shook off his partner's grasp, but still lowered his voice. "I'm not gonna let it go! Next time he says anything to you, come clear it by me first. Got it?"

Naruto rubbed his shoulder. "Yeah, alright," he said quietly. "When do you need it by—"

"Tomorrow."

"Maaan," Naruto whined.

"Is that a problem?"

"No," Naruto answered darkly. "I was just hoping I could have a little time before going back. You know, let things cool off?"

"Nope." The shadow stamped out his cigarette. "And it's best to do it now, before they have time to figure out the first piece is gone. If they move the other one, we might never get it."

Naruto nodded begrudgingly.

A wedge of yellow light cracked through the darkness and the obnoxious sounds of a plinko parlor spilled into the alley. An old woman in an faded smock peered out suspiciously. Pockets sagging with change and receipts, the woman squinted unseeing into the dark while the tinny sounds of digital cheers and falling coins crashed out around her. Naruto automatically ducked his head to keep his face in shadow. Finally focusing on the two men, she straightened, bowed quickly then urged them in.

"Tomorrow night," Naruto heard the man say from the door. "Bring it to me, same time. Come to the club." Then the door slammed, a heavy lock slid into place and Naruto was alone in the still, dark alley. He sighed and sunk his hands into his empty pocket.

It was only a few hours till daylight. He needed to sleep, then come up with a whole new strategy.

* * *

><p>Eighteen hours later, he still had no new plan. So he fell back on the old one. It was straightforward, a grab and dash job, but if they didn't know anything had been taken yet, it would still work.<p>

Deep inside the walled historic district of Old Konoha, Naruto squatted in the shadow of a perfectly round shrub outside an open kitchen door. It was just the right angle to peer up into the kitchen. He knew because he'd been frequenting this spot for the better part of two weeks.

He checked his watch. 10:20 p.m. A woman stood at the sink, humming to herself as she washed the rest of dinner's dishes. Another housekeeper came in with a stack of small plates and tea cups, set it on the counter and sat down to share some gossip. They were completely at ease. Naruto was certain they didn't know their household was a little bit lighter this evening, having lost one jade hook to him the night before.

These old clan families, tucked away in their perfect homes, safe behind Old Konoha's walls, they probably didn't even care about those ancient pieces of junk, he told himself. It was just a status symbol, like everything else in their walled compounds. Sprawling historical houses and sweeping gardens, complete with servants and gardeners. Some houses offered tours of their oldest buildings, putting their family treasures on display. But some, like this compound, employed security guards to ward off an imagined onslaught, as if some warring army was hiding beyond their wall, ready to strike at any time.

Naruto snorted. _Like anything bad ever happened here._

Old Konoha was like a lazy old samurai, content to grow fat on the glories of the past. The poverty, hardships and crime of modern life had long been pushed outside of their faded walls. And then they'd closed the gates. The only way you made a living in here was if you have the right clan name.

Naruto knew where he belonged. And it wasn't in here.

The running water suddenly turned off. There was a scrape of a chair and the clink of lifting plates, and then the voices drifted into the other room. Naruto looked at his watch. 10:30. They were putting away the dishes in the dining room. This was it.

Naruto hopped up and crept silently through the kitchen and out the long wide hall, making sure to duck under the open windows. Once past, he ran down the length of the polished wood floor to the clan's scroll room.

It was so easy. They had no idea. In fact he was so confidant that he already felt the familiar buzz coming on, the same light feeling he had when was younger and he picked off something good from one of the night markets stalls. Like a bowl of noodle soup, still piping hot, swiped from the back counter while the unlucky shopper was paying for it.

Naruto bit down a grin. He had to focus.

This was the part where he felt like a ninja in one of his childhood books. He peered into the room, checking the most obvious hiding spots before he entered. Once he was inside a room, it could become a trap if he wasn't careful. He counted his possible escape routes and watched for any sign of movement.

But this room was empty. No shadows in the corners, no lines of light blocked. No movement in the air. The room was still dusty and untouched, convincing Naruto he was the last one to come through here in months.

He crossed the room, passing displays of old scrolls whose writings were a mystery to him, to a small glass case laid out on the table in the center. He pulled a piece of tissue paper out of his pocket and used it to cup the edge of the glass case.

On one side of a black velvet pillow was the indention where the dragon hook had laid. Next to it was a disk carved with a matching design in the flat side of the stone. An ornate dragon rolled and tumbled in a perpetual circle around the milky green surface. He scooped up the disk, lowered the lid, and folded the trinket into the paper. It fit nicely into the palm of his hand. Even through the paper he could feel its edges were smooth with years of use at the end of a kimono sash. When it was safely in his pocket, he checked the room one more time and walked silently back to the door.

The night air was warm, crickets were chirping and the sound of water filtered in from the garden. The open door framed a beautiful picture of the walled garden beyond, with its winding paths, flowing streams and exotic trees that stretched their long green limbs above the manicured garden. He had to admit, this was the good life—

A sudden creak rent the air and Naruto's heart leapt to his throat. A shadow fell across the wooden boards outside the door.

_Someone was coming!_

Naruto dashed across the room to his best escape route and threw back a screened window. He flung his legs over the ledge and looked back to see if he'd been caught, just as the shadow drifted away again.

_Must have been a servant._ He blew out a breath and decided to cut around through the garden to get back to the kitchen gate, just to be safe.

He jumped, but the moment his feet thudded to the ground, the air erupted with shouts.

"Shig! Over here! He jumped out the back!"

Naruto shot off into a run when the two thick-necked guards barreled out from the corners of the house. The third, Shig, the biggest of them, came pounding off the porch where he'd been waiting for Naruto.

Naruto ran through the garden, leaping streams and dodging arranged boulders. The kitchen gate route was cut off. Now all that was left was to hope he could find a door somewhere along the back wall. Naruto cursed himself as he jumped a low hedge for not casing the garden as well as the house.

Up ahead the wall was looming and he was eating up ground without finding an exit. He scanned desperately. The walls were too high to scale and there was nothing tall enough or close enough to give him a leg up. Ahead, the shadow of a shrub fell across the wall in a strange way. He didn't know if it was a gate, but he'd have to chance it. The men were hard on his heels, their panting coming closer—

An arm shot from behind the shrub and snapped Naruto's neck backwards. All forward momentum stopped in one jarring second. His vision spun as the biggest man stepped out of a hidden path and hoisted him up by the back of his neck.

"Caught you this time, you little punk." He flung Naruto into the widest part of the gravel where several other paths intersected and where the other two men stood, panting hard.

As soon as he hit the ground, Naruto ignored the deep scrapes to his hands from the gravel and scrambled up to run. But they surrounded him.

These men were big. Bigger than Naruto realized.

Their black suits wore a layer of dust from the chase and their hair was knotted at the top as if they were sumo wrestlers. Or sumo in training. But no wrestler he'd ever known of would work at something as menial as a security guard.

Sumo or not, it didn't matter. These men were huge. Their hands alone were like catcher's mitts. They didn't carry weapons, and they didn't need to. Their hands did the work. And right now, they were aimed at Naruto.

He watched all three with fear coiling in his stomach. This was bad. Very bad.

The biggest one popped his knuckles menacingly. "Show us what you've got in your pocket kid, and maybe we _won't _break all your bones."

The others laughed, egging him on. "Yeah, you tell him, Shigeru!"

Naruto laughed nervously from the ground, trying to think fast and failing. "N-Nothing! I was just—"

A kick to the gut silenced him. Naruto curled in on himself, covering his face and trying hard just to breath, as hands tugged at his coat and pants pocket.

When he cracked his fingers and looked up, Shigeru was bouncing the jade circle in his hand, smiling.

"Now that we've gotten _that_ out of the way," he slid the disk into his pants pocket, "let's have a little fun before we call the cops!"

They dragged Naruto to his feet and pushed him between the themselves, landing blow after blow to his gut, his chest and back of the head, laughing wildly and booting him as he went past, until Naruto was dizzy and grunting with each blow. He stumbled to his knees.

The worst of it was he knew that getting beaten up would be just the start of his problems. He'd lost the loot. And there would be a punishment for it, worse than getting roughed up by thugs or even being thrown in jail for a night—

Someone hauled him back up by his collar, and before Naruto could get his bearings, Shigeru's meaty fist was arcing into his face. It caught him above the eye, knocking him backwards.

Naruto blacked out as he fell, and only the jarring blow of his head against gravel brought him around again. He instinctively curled on his side. His vision blurred and his ears rang and something wet was running down the side of his face.

Naruto reached a shaky hand up to touch the throbbing spot on his forehead, but beyond the curve of his hand he saw Shigeru pat his pocket. He was checking that the jade disk was still there.

Before Naruto's fingers reached the wound, he curled his hand into a fist— _This wasn't over yet. He could still finish the job!_

He pushed himself slowly off the ground, blood leaking into the corner of his eye, but he stayed focused on his goal.

Shigeru laughed as Naruto struggled to stand. The other two closed in, ready to take him down, but Shigeru waved them off. "That last one should have knocked him out. Tough little runt, you wanna feel some _real_ pain then?"

Shigeru pulled out a set of brass knuckles from the other pocket, slid them on and grinned. "Come at me, kid. This won't take long!"

Naruto lurched forward with a weak punch. Shigeru swung, a streak of gold whizzing at Naruto's nose, but Naruto ducked and threw himself at Shigeru's broad chest. Naruto clung to the his jacket, clutching and falling as if he really did have the wits knocked out of him.

Shigeru swung again, but Naruto was too close and too slippery. While Shigeru fought to grab hold of him, Naruto dipped his hand into the pants pocket, hooked a finger through the cool disk, yanked it out and flipped it into the hollow of his palm.

It only took a few seconds, but it was enough time for Shigeru to regain control. He clamped his huge hand down on Naruto's shoulder and sent Naruto flying.

Flung down the path, Naruto rolled and rolled, as limp as a rag. When he finally came to a stop he was nearly at the far wall of the compound. Gravel was in his shoes, his hoodie was twisted around his neck and the sky was spinning. But tight in his palm was the cool, smooth circle. _He still had it!_

Naruto moved quickly, pocketing the disk as the sound of footsteps pounded closer. _Now he just had to get out of here!_

Scrambling onto all fours, ears ringing, and a pounding headache starting above his left eye, Naruto swung his gaze around the garden.

The three wrestler-guards were closing in. One popped his knuckles, the other popped his elbow, and Shigeru stalked down he middle of the path. He rolled his fingers in the brass knuckles then spread his huge palms out to each side to catch Naruto if he ran for the house. Nostrils flaring, he looked like he wanted to pound Naruto right into the ground.

Naruto bet Shigeru would be moving a lot faster if he knew his pockets were empty. And he didn't want to stick around when they discovered he'd pulled one over on them. Again.

Naruto sucked in a breath, dug his fingers into the gravel and sized them up. One was shorter than the rest. That was his man. Naruto needed someone closer to his size if his plan was going to work.

He lunged for the short one and the other two were instantly on his heels. The man swung and Naruto tried to block it, but it still knocked him sideways. But when the guy closed in for another blow, Naruto threw a handful of dust and gravel up into his face.

The man's punch collapsed into pawing at his own face and cursing viciously. Naruto ducked past him and tore out across the garden.

The two men took off after him with the third stumbling behind, blinking tears. "_Get him!_"

Naruto thought he might be able to make it back to the open kitchen gate, but the sounds of a scuffle had the whole house on high alert. Lights flickered from the back of the house and reflected in the koi pond, and voices were already calling out in alarm.

_Can't go that way._ Naruto veered off, leaping over shrubs and knocking down a stone lantern, skidded across the path and sprinted toward his only option left: somehow he had to get over that high garden wall.

Halfway down the long side wall, a manicured tree raised limbs like green cloud puffs up and over the edge. It was close enough that if he climbed it, he could jump. It was his only option. He went straight for it, hoping the delicate tree would hold him.

Naruto scrambled up the trunk as Shigeru huffed through the bushes behind him. Naruto climbed faster. The top of the wall was in sight when the limbs turned thin and began to creak under his fingers. But he kept going.

Shigeru swatted back at the other men. "Go around to the other side!" He pitched his jacket over a shrub, rolled up his sleeves and started up the tree. It shook ominously with each step.

Naruto pulled himself onto the last branch that would support him. It arched toward the wall, but not nearly close enough. He'd have to jump. But when he stepped out, the branch cracked under his unsteady feet. He eased back, heart pounding in his ears. Gripping the trunk behind him, Naruto looked down.

Shigeru was hoisting himself up with a broad mean grin, like he knew there was no way out but down. And Naruto had a sinking feeling he might be right.

Naruto gulped a last breath, shoved off from the trunk and took a running leap. Pushing hard, the branch snapped under Naruto's feet and he flailed ungracefully at the wall, praying in that split-second that his forward momentum was enough.

Naruto hit the wall with an 'oomph.' His fingertips were just high enough to scrape over the top of the ledge and grab hold.

The branch flung back and hit the Shigeru in the face, knocking him out of the tree.

Gasping to get air back into his lungs, Naruto pulled hard, toed his way up the wall and threw himself over. He hit the ground hard on the other side and found himself in the middle of a dark lane. It was no more than a long stone corridor broken only by the occasional locked door leading to another clan compound and another hidden garden. There was no where to hide.

The two men exploded out of the nearest door. "There he is!" They tore down the pavement toward Naruto, who, still heaving from the wall, pushed himself off the ground and ran like his life depended on it. He didn't know where he was going or even how he'd get out of there. He just knew he had to keep running and hope he didn't hit a dead end.

The men proved to be smarter than he anticipated. Jackets flying, they ran fast and stayed together, keeping up with Naruto as he tore down Old Konoha's twisting narrow lanes. But at some point they split off. Naruto's heart almost stopped when he glanced back and saw only one guy.

They'd made a plan. Their better knowledge of the streets meant one of them could head him off. Now he watched ahead and behind—

Sure enough, just when the walled alley opened up onto a broad avenue lined with shops and alleys and places to hide, and Naruto thought he'd finally made it, the other guy came barreling around the corner. His arms were stretched out and hands open, ready to grab Naruto.

Naruto lunged sideways, missing by scant inches the fingers that swiped at his neck, and stumbled over a curb. The two men were back on him, closer than ever. He turned onto the avenue and ran down the crowded sidewalk, something he would never have done if he wasn't desperate. All it would take would be one police officer, one security guard, one shop owner reporting a ruckus, and it was all over.

Just ahead of him, an old man was wheeling his cart back in before locking up his shop for the night. Naruto felt a little guilty, but this was exactly what he needed.

Running, he dodged the cart, but shoved hard as he went past, causing it to teeter and fall over, spilling the old man's produce all over the sidewalk.

"Hey! You can't do that— Come back here!"

It slowed the two men by just a hair. But it was enough. Naruto was able to duck into the darkness of an alley two blocks down and lose the panting men. Then he slipped out through the faded red gates of Old Konoha and into the flashing lights, honking cars and tangled mess of Konoha's modern streets.

Threading between the cheap apartment buildings, beneath dripping air conditioning units and strings of laundry, Naruto disappeared into the dark narrow lanes of Konoha. Finally, he knew he was safe. This was his world, and they'd never find him here.

Naruto breathed in deeply and walked slower, still keeping to the shadowed shortcuts he knew well, but letting himself relax.

He sunk his hand into the pocket of his pants. A brilliant grin broke across on his face. The jade disk was still there. He'd done it.

He felt light, like his feet were floating a little with each step. This had to be one of the best lifts he'd ever pulled. Not the easiest, not by a long-shot. But the luckiest at least. Stealing it, then pickpocketing it back again, escaping that Shigeru dude, then outrunning his buddies….

Another grin touched his lips at the thought of retelling this adventure at the club. He ought to head over there right now, even though he was early—

But skirting the edge of the night market, a waft of cooking food hit him. His stomach growled. Then his smile turned warm.

There was enough time to grab a bite to eat before he turned it in. And he knew just where to go….

* * *

><p>The girl behind the counter spun around and instantly frowned at him. Her eyes darted to a wristwatch clutched in her hand. Two white bags sat behind her on the cooler, their tops folded over and their sides filled out with square takeout boxes, ready to be delivered.<p>

Naruto glanced down, stifling a laugh. She was just as cute as the night before, even if she looked like having a paying customer walk into an otherwise empty restaurant was somehow an intrusion.

He didn't care. It was a good night. He'd have fresh ramen and ponder the mystery of that girl. The thought of a warm meal and her cool green eyes was already filling him with delicious anticipation.

She worked fast, dishing up a bowl of ramen and setting it on the counter while he was still fishing out a few bills. He didn't notice when she pulled a plate up from behind the counter.

"Wait…. 'Not naruto,' right?"

Naruto's momentary panic quickly gave way to confusion, then he saw the plate of pink and white fishcakes and understood. He couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, that's right."

She slid the bowl over and he reached out to take it, only realizing just how bad his hands looked in the light. His knuckles were bloody and the back of his hands were scraped up and covered with dirt. It must have hurt when it happened, but he couldn't remember exactly when. In the rush of escaping he'd simply forgotten.

"Did you get in a fight?"

Naruto jerked his hands back suddenly. "No, uh…. Mugged." The lie came easily. He tightened his fists, testing them and discovering his hands were really sore. Knowing what they looked like only made them hurt worse.

He gingerly reached for the chopsticks when the pretty cook leaned over to look under his hood before he could duck away.

"Is that blood!?" She peered into his face. "Hey, you're really hurt, aren't you?"

Naruto brushed flakes of dried blood off his cheek, as surprised as she was. His fingers trailed up to his eyebrow, which was now as tender as a bruised peach, and found a big, sticky gash there.

"Huh," he said softly. He'd forgotten that the big guy had hit him. Didn't matter. He'd take care of it later—

"You say you got mugged?" The girl's voice came from behind the counter.

The steam from the bowl rose up to meet him, and his stomach growled as if responding. "Yeah," he said, distracted by his hunger. He picked up the chopsticks again, just to get in one bite—

"Do you want me to look at it for you?"

"Wha—?" Chopsticks frozen over the bowl, he turned to the sound of her voice. She stood two stools down, holding the hinged counter up and looking at him expectantly.

Just like the night before, it took him a moment to figure out what she meant.

"It's pretty bad. Someone ought to look at it." She jerked her head to an old chair behind the counter. "I'm a medic," she said confidently. But when her green eyes roved the dingy noodle shop, her voice thinned. "Er…. Well, I will be when I finish school. But I'm certified for first aid."

Naruto set down his chopsticks, ignored his rumbling stomach and slid off the stool. "O-okay, sure…."

He wasn't exactly sure what she was offering, but in that moment whatever it was was more tempting than the ramen.

He ducked past the open counter and went where she pointed, a straight-back wooden chair she'd pulled away from the tiny desk, and sat down.

He waited obediently while she pulled out a white plastic kit from a shelf, tore open a small packet and wiped her hands with an alcohol towelette.

On the desk were the pile of books he'd seen the night before. Their spines spelled out a daunting study load: "First Aid: Physical Examinations and Emergency Care," "The Maternity to Newborn Handbook," "ElderCare: A Short Course," "Math for Meds: Medical Dosage Calculations," "Principles of Pediatric Care," "The Atlas of Human Anatomy," "Women's Health Across the Lifespan," "Public Health: Population-based Care for the Whole Community," and "A Diary of a Field Medic: My Life on the Front Lines."

He tipped his head to read the last one — "Free Clinics: Changing Communities One Life at a Time" — when his hood was suddenly yanked back from the top of his head.

Naruto gasped, but his hands weren't fast enough to stop her. The girl saw his wound first, but her eyes instantly jumped to his cheek…right to the marks he was always so careful to hide with his shaggy hair and his hood.

Three jagged lines tore down each cheek.

Her face _changed_ when she saw them…. She was so close, he couldn't have missed it if he tried. Those pretty green eyes widened first in surprise, then alarm, and then all emotion was shuttered and she turned away.

He'd seen it a thousand times on the streets, before he stole a hoodie and learned only to reveal himself to others who were like him. Fear then distrust, then ignoring him as if he were invisible. Or glaring at him as if to say he should stay with his own kind. The outcasts. The criminals.

Naruto sighed softly, pulled up his hood and rose to leave. _The pretty girl, the ramen…. It was nice while it lasted—_

"What are you doing? Sit down!" She had a purple latex glove over one hand, a bottle of disinfectant and cotton balls in the other. "And take your hood off. I can't clean it if I can't get to it." Her voice was as firm as if she gave out medical orders every day for her job, not cooking ramen.

Naruto was stunned. He dropped back into the seat without a word, only remembering afterwards to pull back his hood.

She dragged an old stool in front of him and proceeded to scrub away the dried blood and prod at the sore spot above his eyebrow. Naruto winced a few times. The spot felt raw and puffy, and from the amount of blood she wiped off, the gash must have been big.

He didn't speak, and she didn't ask about his scars, but he knew she must have been curious, if not worried.

"I'm not a—" he started, but stopped. _What was he going to say? I'm not a thief? Not part of a gang? He was._ "I mean, I'm not going to— I'm not here to—"

"I don't care," she said flatly. "You have a serious injury that needs to be looked at."

While she tended to his wound he stole looks at her. Her green eyes were even prettier close up, her pale skin had a trace of freckles, her pink hair hid just past the edge of her neck where it was tied in her white cook's bandana.

"So what are you," she said after several minutes of silence. She dabbed from the alcohol bottle and wiped it above his eye. "In a gang? Did you get in some kind of trouble with the law?"

The shock of cold alcohol, which was quickly beginning to burn, wasn't enough to stop him from automatically lying. "No! Not at all!"

She leaned back to look at him in the face, truly surprised. "Really?"

Unexpected guilt pricked at him. But it only lasted as long as the time it took him to come up with a story. "I, uh….run deliveries. Like a courier service. But at night. Yeah. This alley is a shortcut for me. And….your ramen always smelled so good, and I've always wanted to stop by, so…."

She sat back, lips parted in a silent laugh, and arched an eyebrow as if she didn't believe him. It was such a cute look that he smiled at her, forgetting to try to be convincing.

"This part of the alley stinks! And it's a shortcut to nowhere! I should know—" she said ruefully then stopped herself. She refocused on finishing cleaning the area around the wound.

There was a creak of someone stepping over the threshold, but before she could stand, they both heard voices.

"_She's not here!"_

"_No, I don't think this is a good idea—"_

"_Come on! Now's our chance—"_

"_We should wait. She might be back—"_

"_What are you afraid of? It's now or never—"_

Naruto and the girl exchanged glances. It was the two kids from the night before. They were back again to try and steal from her.

She swore silently, swiveled and reached for a ladle from behind the counter, but Naruto stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Watch this," he whispered.

He shot up from behind the counter with a deep roar. _"HEY! Whaddayadoin!?" _

The same boys from the night before — one black-haired, one blond, — nearly jumped out of their skin. The spun around, ran into each other, lunged for the exit and missed, nearly toppling the cheap ceramic umbrella stand next to the door, then jammed together through the door to bolt off down the alley.

Naruto turned back with a big grin.

The corners of a smile hiding behind her fingers was worth it. "Those kids, they're always trying to—"

Her smile froze. Her eyes went big. She jammed a hand in her pocket and pulled out an old wristwatch missing half its band.

"The kids! Oh no! I completely forgot—"

She grabbed the two takeout bags off the corner and was about to run out the back, when she remembered she wasn't exactly alone.

"I need too—" She clutched the bags. "They're waiting, and…. I mean, it's just out the back— But I should lock up—"

"Go," Naruto said quickly. "I'll stay here."

With a breathless "Thanks," she dashed out.

He sat back in the chair, laced his hands behind his head, kicked his feet out and smiled to himself. His quick thinking had gotten him out of several tight spots tonight.

And he could thank that sumo-wrestler-turned-security-guard Shigeru for nearly knocking him out, because it got him closer to her. And that made him feel as high as he did making any good lift. Better even. Because she wasn't some object he'd been told to steal. He wanted this all for himself. No one else even needed to know.

But he did have to congratulate himself on that the line about the delivery boy. It was a stroke of genius. And the best part was that it was true. Well, mostly true. They told him what to get, and he delivered it. He didn't hurt anyone.

But she seemed pretty straight-laced and no-nonsense. He had the feeling she wouldn't be comfortable with knowing _that_ side of his, uh…_delivery_ job.

The back door opened and closed, and a lock slid into place. Naruto straightened. "Thank you," she said earnestly when she walked back in. "Someone comes to pick those bags up every night—"

"I know" he said, smiling at her. She tipped her head, confused. "Last night," he said. "Those kids came in at the front door at the same time. They know your schedule."

He stood, but she pointed firmly to the chair and said, "I'm not finished yet," and he sat back down obediently.

She reached into the top of the first aid kit and pulled out a butterfly bandage.

"Oh yeah," she said, remembering as she peeled off one wing of the bandage. "That's right. You said I should change things, mix it up. Not make it so easy for someone to know my schedule."

Naruto nodded then leaned his head forward closer as she instructed. She pinched the laceration together, pressed the wings to either side of the cut and smoothed them down with her thumb. "There. Now you won't have to get stitches."

"Really? It was that bad?" He poked at his forehead above his left eye, feeling the small bandage in the middle of a dull throbbing area.

"Yeah. And now it probably won't scar either—" Her hands stilled, as if she suddenly remembered something she'd forgotten. Naruto knew what it was. "Unless you scar easily."

She turned away and busied herself with throwing away the used items and tidying up the first aid kit, and Naruto looked down at his cut up hands.

She wanted to know more about his scars. Anyone would, and why not? They marked him as an outsider. Maybe she was hoping it was just an accident.

"I don't," he said quietly.

"Don't what," she asked over her shoulder.

"Scar easily," he answered, standing.

She turned back to him, still holding the first aid kit. "Oh, I see…."

They stood across from each other. He took in her heart-shaped face, so smooth and free of any marks. She was taller than he thought, now that they weren't separated by a counter. Maybe only few inches shorter…if they were standing closer….

He sighed, deciding what, if anything, he should say. Then he would leave.

"I don't scar easily. These," he ghosted his fingers over his cheeks and tried to keep the edge out of his voice. "I didn't do these."

"Oh," she said softly, blinking once.

"Yeah," he sighed. "That's why I took this, uh, night job. No one notices. So no one cares."

She didn't say anything. She wasn't scared or disappointed or even impressed. It was as if he hadn't said anything at all. And instead of giving him the cold shoulder or asking him to leave or like every other shopkeeper in Konoha would have done, she just turned back and pushed the first aid kit and the supplies back on the shelf. Like it wasn't that big a deal. Like he was…_normal_.

"You could always get surgery, get them reduced," she said with her back still turned. "There are a lot of cosmetic surgeons in Old Konoha. But it might cost you—"

Naruto lifted the counter and ducked under, considering her words. "I never thought anything could be done for them," he said quietly. He didn't know of a doctor anywhere in Konoha that would let someone like him through the door. She would never know about that though. As pretty as she was. Any door in Konoha, old or new, would open for her.

"Thanks…. Maybe I'll have someone take a look at them." Watching her, he felt the sudden urge to prove he was more than just his scars. "You know, I do alright making deliveries," puffing his chest with the boast. "Pretty good actually," he sniffed. "I'm my own man now…."

He was going to create some elaborate story about how he could afford a doctor's visit if he really wanted to, but he didn't want to sound ungrateful for what she'd done for him.

He needn't have worried though. She just shrugged at his words, already slipping back into ramen-cook mode, and picked up a towel to wipe down the counter. She stopped when she noticed the uneaten bowl of ramen on the counter, now stone cold.

"You didn't get to eat your noodles!" She reached for the cash drawer to refund his money, but he put his hands up, refusing it.

"You patched me up! We're even!"

"Well…actually," she cut her eyes to the side and twisted the towel. "It helped me out too," she admitted. "I need to log several hours of community health assessments for my school program. So…." She pointed to a spiral notebook at the back of the desk with "Konoha U: Health Care Case Studies" written in big bold letters across the front.

He laughed out loud. "Wait, I'm just a lab rat?!" Her lips quirked at the corners, compelling him to keep going. He eyed her books on the table. "So…are you studying to be a nurse or something—"

"A doctor," she said firmly. "A field medic, actually."

"Hmmm," he nodded, impressed. But he still hoped to tease another smile out of her. "Last time I checked, we weren't at war."

She picked up the bowl and wiped down the counter where he'd briefly sat. "A field medic to practice out here. Not just in a cushy office inside the wall."

"So _these_ are the front lines then," Naruto said with a laugh, gesturing to the empty noodle shop.

"Yes" she said with a seriousness that surprised him. "Well, not in here. But in the buildings around here. You'd be surprised how hard life is for them. There are a lot of kids, families and elderly here in these high-rise buildings. And none of them can afford medical care. And that's not all. The gangs—" She stopped herself and went back her wiping, bowl still in her hand. "You probably don't want to hear all of this—"

"I do." He smiled at her. "You're passionate about this, I can tell." She looked down at the counter again, embarrassed at herself, and shrugged one shoulder. She turned to take the bowl of uneaten ramen to the sink but stopped. "You know, I can pack this to go for you. If you want to heat it up later."

Naruto seriously considered taking it. But he wanted something else. And going without ramen for one night was just the opening he needed.

"Tell you what," he said stepping closer to the counter, dropping his voice a notch and smiling into her surprised face. "I'll come back tomorrow, and you can make me some more." He nodded to the bowl before catching her eyes so she knew he was serious. "Then you can tell me all about why you want to be a field medic. Are you working tomorrow?"

A corner of her mouth lifted up, followed by a pale pink bloom that rose in her cheeks. "Yeah," she said softly. "I'm here every night."

He flashed his most charming grin. "Then I'll see you tomorrow!" It worked. A shy smile curved up her face, and the blush on her cheeks deepened.

This time there was no snappy comeback or stern look. Instead, suddenly embarrassed, she wiped her hands on her apron and scrubbed a section of the counter she'd just finished cleaning, attacking a crack in the surface that looked older than she was.

Watched her distracted frenzy and knowing he'd finally gotten to her, a light, fizzy feeling took hold, surprising him. It was the same way he felt after he finished a job. But this time, he hadn't taken anything, not really. More like he'd _discovered_ it — she really was a girl after all, beneath that hard exterior of the tough night-shift cook or the non-nonsense medic.

A curl of pink hair fell loose from her bandana and trailed around her neck, and Naruto thought maybe he'd like to stay a little longer. But when he jammed his hand into his pocket, the cool jade nudged his fingertips as if reminding him he had someplace else to be. He sighed.

At the door, he stopped, pulled up his hood and gingerly tapped his forehead. "Thanks again, doc."

A laugh bubbled up before she could stop it, and she grinned down at the counter, shaking her head, refusing to look up or give him anything else but a sharp nod of goodbye. But it didn't matter. Her laugh and that secret smile that no one else saw went right through him. He went out the door, grinning big and walking on air. He knew he'd be back. Every night. Ramen or not.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Next Chapter:<strong>_

_**Chapter 3 - The Night Market**_

_Naruto skirted the clogged streets of the night market. At nearly 1 a.m. it still pulsed with sounds, smells and people. He turned down a dark lane lit by a single street lamp. The silhouettes of two men melted out of the shadows beside a lone door. The tip of a cigarette suddenly burned cherry red in the darkness. Naruto stepped off the sidewalk and walked down the middle of the empty lane toward a circle of light on the ground. The muscular guy seated on a stool beside the door didn't pay him any attention. But the smoker stepped forward into the lamplight. _

_Cold light reflected off his long ponytail, making his pale hair almost glow white. _

_Naruto snickered to himself in the darkness. That drama queen. How many times has he stood under that lamp? Basking in the light as if he was some kind of 'chosen one.' Like his ego needs that._

_The man shoved a hand in his pocket, letting the tailored black suit open just so and tilted his head in a rakish pose. "Took your time, didn't you?"_

_Naruto couldn't stop himself from grinning. Without giving away his movements he slid the jade disk seamlessly from his pocket to the cup of his hand as he walked. In the next step Naruto flipped his wrist, flashing the object he'd worked so hard to get, and closed the distance between them. "Did you ever doubt me, Dei?"_

_A curl of the lips and the man's angelic face turned devilishly handsome. His ice blue eyes flickered with amusement. "Never…Little Fox."_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's notes:<strong>

Second chapter! Hopefully it reveals more about our hero and his favorite ramen cook, as well as a sneak peak at the next chap...which is reveals a little more about who he works for! :) Hope you enjoy! I am working on all updates for all the other fics, so don't despair. They'll all get new chapters within the next month! Woot! Thanks for reading and reviewing, I read every one and appreciate them immensely!


	3. The Night Market

**Chapter 3 - The Night Market**

Naruto skirted the clogged streets of the night market. At nearly 1 a.m. it still pulsed with sounds, smells and people. Down one edge of the market ran a seedier set of streets, full with the promise of nocturnal activities. Bars, clubs, karaoke joints blared their names from neon signs, and all manner of illicit dvds and pirated goods were hawked in the roads.

Naruto ignored the lights and beckoning calls, and came to a corner where a man was pushing knock-off designer handbags at passersby. Nailed to the building behind him was a faded, peeling sign for a tea shop. The sign was unremarkable, half-hidden by a poster for band that had played a year before, and it pointed down a dark alley that was as just as unremarkable. Dark, empty and forgettable. But Naruto turned right for it and, crossing quickly into cool alley, the noise of the night market fell away.

Naruto's eyes adjusted from the glaring lights to the dim lane. At the end of a long expanse of a brick wall was a single street lamp, lighting a dented old metal door and a short set of steps. The silhouettes of two men melted out of the shadows beyond the door. The tip of a cigarette suddenly burned cherry red in the darkness.

He'd been seen.

Naruto stepped off the sidewalk and into the middle of the alley, walking toward the circle of light on the ground and letting them get a clear look at him. Satisfied, a thick-armed guy slunk back to the doorway, followed by the sound of scraping stool legs on the concrete.

But the smoker stepped forward and waited. Cold light reflected off his long ponytail, making his pale hair almost glow white.

Naruto snickered to himself in the darkness._ That drama queen. How many times has he stood under that lamp? Basking in the light as if he were some kind of 'chosen one.' Like his ego needs that!_

The man shoved a hand in his pocket, letting the tailored black suit open just so and tilted his head in a rakish pose. "Took your time, didn't you?"

Naruto couldn't stop himself from grinning. Without giving away his movements he slid the jade disk seamlessly from his pocket to the cup of his hand as he walked. In the next step he flipped his wrist, flashing the object he'd worked so hard to get, and closed the distance between them. "Did you ever doubt me, Dei?"

A curl of the lips and the man's angelic face turned devilishly handsome. His ice blue eyes flickered with amusement. "Never…Little Fox."

Naruto smirked at the nickname and shook his head once out of habit. Shaggy yellow hair fell forward and tufted out of the edges of the hood, hiding the whisker-like scars at the edge of his face.

Stepping into the light, Naruto extended his hand. In a single handshake the ancient treasure was transferred. It caught the light as it passed, and they paused to look at it with the respect it commanded. The light shining through the disk turned the green areas milky white, and the dragon carvings swirling around the hole in the middle came alive, just like the hook he'd stolen the night before.

"Any trouble this time—" But before Dei could finish he caught sight of the bandage on Naruto's forehead. "What the—"

Naruto ducked away from his reach, but he was saved from answering for it by the approach of footsteps. They broke apart. Dei slipped the disk smoothly into his suit pocket, and Naruto angled his head so the shadow of his hood fell over his face.

"Deidara," a deep voice drawled.

Deidara nodded with cool respect at the figure stalking forward out of the dark. "Kisame….."

At the name, Naruto relaxed a notch and glanced over. A big, broad shouldered man, Kisame nearly filled up the sidewalk. Two curvy women hung on each arm in practiced carelessness, their touch light enough not to leave a wrinkle on his gunmetal grey suit.

"Kyuubi," he grunted at Naruto. Naruto nodded back, making sure to keep his eyes respectfully locked on Kisame's cold grey ones, never straying to the edge of his full-body tattoo that peeked from his cuffs or collar, or to the rings that fit like brass knuckles when they came together in a line.

The girls smiled sweetly, and though Naruto actually knew them from the club, he didn't dare let his eyes stray. Bigger men than him had lost a finger for ogling Kisame's arm candy.

Kisame grinned at Naruto's wary behavior. Where Deidara was handsome, Kisame was monstrous. His lips parted to reveal teeth sharpened to vicious points. And when he turned to usher the two girls through the metal door, even the back of him was threatening.

The nose of an enormous shark, nearly the same grey color as his suit, surged out of the back of his collar. The tattooed creature rode an inked wave of blue-green water strewn with torn white petals that curled masterfully up over his skull until it faded into his shaved scalp. From the front, only a few licks of water were visible around his neck. From the back, it looked like the open-mawed beast was going to lift off and devour anyone who had the misfortune to try to sneak up on the big man.

Naruto could never decide if the shark had just finished tearing through something lower down in the tattoo or if it was preparing to devour Kisame himself. From what he knew of 'The Enforcer' and his affinity for sharks, cold-blooded killers who, like Kisame, would destroy their own kind to survive, Naruto thought it could go either way.

The hefty bouncer stood and pulled open the door. Smoky air and loud music spilled out, and the girls sashayed into the crimson interior to a chorus of catcalls. The were waving prettily back when the door swung closed behind them.

On the steps, Kisame turned back to Deidara. "You coming?"

"Yeah," Deidara said, then flicked his cigarette into the gutter where it sizzled out.

Kisame's shark eyes slid to Naruto. "Did you get it?" Somehow he made the question sound like a threat.

Naruto nodded once.

Satisfied, Kisame disappeared into the club, Deidara heading up behind him. But Deidara turned back on the landing, surprised to see Naruto wasn't following him.

"The meeting's about to begin. You can wait inside you know—."

Naruto shook his head. "I'll just wait out here."

"Suit yourself," Deidara said with a shrug. "But don't go anywhere. He wants to see you too. I hear he's got a new gig for you." He narrowed his eyes at Naruto's bandage. "And I still want to know what happened to you."

Naruto rolled his eyes and waved him off. The bouncer shut the door behind him then dropped back to the stool. It creaked under the man's weight, but didn't give way.

Naruto sunk his hands deep into his hoodie and leaned against the dark wall, taking Deidara's spot beside the bouncer. In the stillness the moths returned to the cone of light, circling endlessly. _Going nowhere fast._

Eight years before Deidara had brought him to this spot, pointed to the very same street light and said, in that dramatic way that had once intimidated him to his core, that Naruto had a choice. Either come with him, or stay out on the sidewalk and go nowhere. Because there wouldn't be another chance like the one he was offering.

Naruto snorted softly at the memory. _Drama queen…._

But the thing was, Deidara had been right. It was his only chance. There was no other choice. As an orphan growing up in Konoha, Naruto knew that better than anyone….

* * *

><p>"I bet you're too scared—"<p>

"Shut up! I can do it…."

Naruto squinted at the apple on the edge of the long plastic table, mustering all the courage he had in his twelve-year-old body. It was just sitting there, so perfect. All he had to do was run over and grab it—

"_I_ could do it, if I wanted to. But I thought I'd let _you_ have this one—"

"I said I'll do it!"

"Just don't screw it up—"

"_Shut up, Sasuke!_"

Hiding behind empty produce boxes, the black-haired twelve year old beside him snickered, making the shaggy blond even more determined to get the apple. Every night, for as long as he could remember, they'd been sneaking out of the orphanage and running down to the night market. They used to just run around, see the sights. But they'd taken to daring each other to perform tasks. It was a game. Like the ninjas in the tattered storybooks from the orphanage, they were on a secret mission. Only the risks kept getting higher.

Sasuke was so fast, he could run past a stall and whip a piece of food off the edge without anyone noticing. Sasuke made it look easy. His timing was perfect, and he was so agile and quick that things just worked for him. But not Naruto. He never seemed to catch on as quickly. No matter what he did, Naruto always felt like he was a step behind Sasuke, always a little more…clumsy.

The last time he rose to one of Sasuke's dares, Naruto swiped a bean cake off a tray…only to run directly into the stout baker that ran the stall. The man easily lifted Naruto up by his shirt collar, shaking him and spitting curses into his face. Naruto couldn't hear them — he was so scared he couldn't hear anything. The man raised his hand and Naruto screwed his eyes shut, cringing against the inevitable crack of a hand across his face—

But instead of a smack, something soft and warm bounced off him. Dots of hot, sticky sweetness splashed across his face. It smelled like…_grape jam?!_

Naruto looked up to see a streak of purple across the livid red face of the baker. Another jelly donut whizzed between them, missing them both, and the man dropped Naruto on his butt. Nauto's ears suddenly unclogged. He heard laughter, the thud of another missed donut, then roared threats of the stall owner as he stalked toward the source of the flying donuts.

Sasuke's voice rang out above it all— "Get up! Run!" Naruto saw Sasuke across the stall hurling great handfuls of cookies, cakes, anything he could grab to distract the man. "_RUN!_"

Naruto shot up but a crowd of onlookers blocked his exit, so he lunged for the dumpling stall next door, dodging the old cook's weak grab but knocking over the baker's table in the process. Trays of bean cakes went tumbling to the ground. The baker turned back, cursing anew at the crashing sound, and Sasuke took off in the opposite direction, just as the Konoha Police were rounding the corner looking for the reported disturbance.

When Sasuke finally found Naruto, hiding two streets over behind a trash bin, Naruto was still visibly shaken. Sasuke just stood in the middle of the alley, hands on hips, and laughed at him until he'd nearly doubled himself over. A pang of anger rippled through Naruto — _this was all Sasuke's fault to begin with _— but he was still too worked up to do anything about it. He raked trembling hands through his hair, wiped cold sweat from his brow and glanced nervously up and down the lane. He was sure the baker, the cook, the police, even the rest of the shoppers from the night market were going to pour through that alley at any moment, looking for them.

Ever since that night, Naruto held back. He watched Sasuke zip through the stalls, snatching food or cheap trinkets in a whirlwind of speed and pounding feet. But Naruto was cautious.

Even taking that apple, so perfectly placed on the corner of the table, glistening red atop the cheap blue tarp that doubled as a tablecloth, could go horribly wrong. From their hiding spot behind a stack of empty fruit crates, Sasuke pointed out that the owner was the perfect target — a stooped old man completely absorbed in sweeping out his stall. But Naruto knew all the old man had to do was turn his head and he'd could be caught—

"Go for it," Sasuke whispered, nudging him hard. "He's got his back turned! Now's your chance—"

A woman with a empty shopping bag on her shoulder passed in front of them, blocking their view. Naruto chewed his lip, slowly building up his courage. Maybe Sasuke was right. This might be his best chance, especially if the owner was occupied—

The woman lingered, looking, then stepped forward into the stall. The owner put aside his broom and she launched into an animated story. Naruto didn't think she was particularly attractive, but it must have been a funny story, because she smiled big and had the shop owner's full attention. Suddenly she opened her arms wide and pointed away to a distant stall where they both looked together. The floppy bag swung out from her hip as she pointed, bumping the edge of the table a few times. But whoever they were looking for was gone. She shrugged, the shopkeeper laughed anyway, and when she turned to leave he bid her a hearty farewell.

The man went back to sweeping, moving deeper into the stall with his back fully turned to them, and Naruto had to admit it was an even better opportunity than before to run by and swipe the—

But the apple was gone. The corner of the blue tarp sat empty.

Naruto sunk back on his heels, blinking in confusion. The opportunity was lost, and he didn't even know when he'd lost it.

Sasuke whacked his shoulder. "See! You should have gone earlier when I told you to!"

Naruto stood and brushed the dirt off his knees. "Doesn't matter. Don't like apples," he said with a harrumph. "I like oranges." Sasuke shook his head and followed him out into the open.

But around the corner in the next row of stalls they came upon the woman again. She spoke to another shop owner, smiling and pointing away, obviously telling the same story. However this time when the big bag swung around, Naruto noticed it wasn't so floppy.

He put his hand on Sasuke's arm and they stopped. But while Sasuke was distracted by a dvd with buxom smiling girls on the cover, Naruto watched _her_. She pointed again, squinting into the distance, and in that moment the bag draped open. With her other hand she slid a t-shirt off the edge of the table and into the bag. Naruto's mouth dropped open. If he'd blinked, he would have missed it.

Never losing her focus on the shopkeeper, she shrugged, laughed with him about the story, then bid him farewell. But as she walked out she dipped her hand in her bag. Naruto thought she might've had a change of heart and decided to return the shirt to the table— But instead she pulled out a bright red apple, bit into it, and sailed off into the night, smiled broadly.

Naruto couldn't believe it. That was _his_ apple! And she'd stolen it right out from underneath all of them!

The rest of that night he wandered the market in a trance. His eyes had been opened. That woman hadn't used force or speed…. Like the ninjas from his storybooks, she'd used stealth. Her flattering smiles and funny stories had distracted her victims from her real purpose.

After that night, Naruto had a new game to try.

* * *

><p>The night market had always pulled them, even when they were young. Two boys growing up in one of Konoha's orphanages, their world was stale and colorless. Though there was little money, they were still treated kindly, given food and clothes and an education. They followed the rules, did their homework and chores, and were happy to do so. But at night, the lights and sounds and smells of the night market drifted up through their window, teasing them.<p>

Even the name it had an allure — the _night_ market. This wasn't the tedium of daytime shopping, where tired people lugged home bags of groceries and necessities under the hot sun. Only the most desirable, coveted items came from the night market. Toys and candies, music cds and colorful t-shirts. Any trinket worth having came from there, even though the orphanage kids rarely received such luxuries.

For young Naruto and Sasuke, whispering under their bedcovers at night, the night market was the stuff of dreams. A place that only came alive at night, while the rest of the orphanage, the rest of _Konoha_ slept. A place where none of the rules applied. They longed to go there, just once, and told each other stories about what they would see, what they would do, and, being growing boys, what they would _eat_.

It wasn't until their ninth summer that they got their first taste of life at the night market. A rusty window screen in the bedroom proved to be the key.

Doing their chores one stifling July afternoon, Naruto wiped down the windowsill in the room they shared with the younger boys, only to discover a piece of an old towel shoved under the lock. It was so deep it just looked like another part of the dingy wall. He picked out the wad of fabric and motioned Sasuke over.

There, directly under the lock, was a hole in the wall. It looked like it had been scraped out years before. Sasuke just shrugged.

"Not our fault. Must've been done by some kids before us, cause we're the oldest now. Just push it back in. No one will ever know—" He fisted the broom handle and was about to step away when Naruto slid his fingers into the gap and pushed the screen out. Both boys' eyes went wide.

Peeking out, they saw where previous generations had already flattened a trail down the outside wall. A hand on the ledge, a foot on the gutter, and in three easy steps they could be down to the first floor. Water ran down the center of the dark alley below like a silver trail leading away from the old orphanage.

Sasuke and Naruto grinned at each other. Naruto gently let the screen fall closed. This was their secret.

Late that night, once everyone was asleep, they crept down the side of the building and out into the wide, dark world. They followed the silvery water, aglow with reflected light, away from the orphanage and toward the pulsing sounds and smells of the market.

Every night that first summer they explored the market as if they were adventurers in a mythical land. They traced and retraced their routes, learning their way and the ways of the people who shopped there. They were worried at first they'd be caught. But they quickly discovered no one cared about two kids darting through the homemade stalls.

All the old prejudices still observed during Konoha's daylight hours simply melted away under the hazy night sky. Even the market itself refused to obey the network of streets it was confined to, instead seeping down alleys and around corners so that it overlapped into the other districts.

They wandered the market, watching shoppers buying hot meals or popsicles, movies or purses or fancy jackets. Lovers sniffed at bottles of love potions. Old men played games of chance. Teenagers giggled over magazines, and grannies got their feet massaged.

Everyone mixed in together. A couple of shabby orphan boys drew no attention at all. In fact, they actually found that they were treated with a measure of respect they'd never known before. In the daylight, walking in long rows on the occasional field trip, shopkeepers and Old Konoha citizens cast a wary eye at the kids. As if their status as the lowest of the low in Konoha society was something they might catch.

But here, stall keepers smiled and asked if they would like to purchase something. Cooks waved plates of food at them. Florists encouraged them to smell the flowers. Naruto and Sasuke were giddy at the prospect, even if they didn't have a single coin between them.

Late one night, Naruto even saw some really important people in the market. A well-dressed man with sleeked back hair, a spotless black suit and an impossibly beautiful girl on his arm strode by. While most people nodded respectfully, Naruto stumbled to a stop just to watch the couple pass. He'd never seen more beautiful people in all his life. They looked like they had stepped out of a movie poster.

Sasuke didn't seem very impressed — he'd turned strangely surly at the sight of the man — but Naruto continued to stare. _Surely they must be from the biggest, oldest family in all of Old Konoha—_

Seeing that Naruto had drawn the important man's notice with his staring, Sasuke nudged him hard in the ribs. Naruto snapped his mouth shut, bowed his head meekly, and waited for the scowl he'd been used to receiving from the anyone of importance in Konoha.

But to Naruto's amazement, instead of being ignored or reviled, the man nodded once in return. A ghost of a smile even played at his lips, which grew wider as Naruto's mouth fell open again. The man continued down the lane, surveying the scene as if he owned it, then turned at the corner.

And for one brief moment before the man disappeared, Naruto thought he saw a slip of color at his collar. Just a line, but he couldn't be sure.

He watched the empty space, thinking. He'd heard about tattoos from their Okaasan, but he'd never actually seen one. As their house mother, she was always warning them to stay away from certain people in life. And the tattooed ones were at the top of the list.

Naruto decided it was probably just a shadow…because someone that dressed like that _had to be_ important. Smiling, Naruto shook his head and put the warning out of his mind.

The two young best friends explored everything they would outside the orphanage walls. They traversed the city, learning early on that Konoha had many districts. Some for shopping, some for eating. A thriving wharf and a gleaming High Street lined with fancy shops. The poorest district on one side of the market, where the building were as thick as weeds and people carved out sad lives in the tine apartment. And on the opposite side, buffered by the market like it was a moat around a fairytale castle, was the ancient walled city of Old Konoha where the old clan homes and temples hid behind elaborate gates. They even ventured inside the walls one night, prowling down the clean streets and feeling distinctly out of place.

But once they'd been to the other districts, they didn't need to go back. The night market was their playground. The unbridled freedom kept them coming back night after night. They yawned their way through their daytime lessons and took turns napping instead of doing chores, but once the sun went down, they began to wake up. Going hours each night without eating, however, drove them to think of the necessities along side the fun.

At first it was just a half-rotten food dumped behind a fruit stand, or a stick of skewered meat, the top chunk pulled off before it was discarded outside a food hut. But eventually, they wanted more. Sasuke longed for a fried pie, oozing hot fruit out onto the paper plate, while Naruto practically drooled for the roast duck turning over the grill.

It was hard to say no to their growling stomachs when there was so much all around them. And the hungrier they became, the more daring they grew. They hung around the back of the stalls instead of the front, plucking up fresh fruit that had rolled to the ground, bags of chips out of the top of opened boxes, and even whole skewers of meat, snatched right off the back of the grill, so hot they had to bounce them from hand to hand as they ran.

One time Naruto reached in a bucket expecting mandarins, but a instead pulled out his hand with a small lobster-looking creature attached to his thumb. The man chased them down, but Naruto and Sasuke were quicker. They hit a chain link fence and threw themselves over, throbbing thumb and all. Sasuke laughed about that for months afterwards. Those nights were like the dream they'd always imagined it would be. They were young and free and inseparable.

And as they grew, so did their adventures. They moved from food to objects. Nothing of much value, just sneaking and pinching what they could: weird toys, too-small T-shirts, the odd earring (never a pair).

Sasuke was especially good at it. He used his natural speed to snag all manner of items, even moving up to expensive things like cds and wristwatches. Though they saw people hawking their obviously stolen goods, Naruto and Sasuke never did. Instead they gave them to other kids in the orphanage or left them in the market before they went home, a treasure for someone else to find.

Naruto had kept pace with Sasuke for a while, but after finding that he wasn't as quick as Sasuke, self-doubt held him back. However once he saw the woman with the floppy bag swipe the apple out from under his nose, Naruto found a new goal. He worked on becoming more like her instead of fast like Sasuke. And over time he grew confident in his ninja game of stealth.

Every night Naruto practiced smiling and flattering and stealing. The first time he made a lift it was just a piece of fruit, just like the woman had. He smiled big and waved hello, inadvertently knocking an apple off the table. But when he moved in time with the shop owner to pick it up, he slid the orange that sat beside it on the table into his pocket. They rose together, he apologized, smiling again, saying he forgot he was out of money. The owner just nodded in understanding and waved him off. Two rows over, Naruto thought he'd never tasted a sweeter orange.

Naruto honed his skill, but instead of moving on to more expensive items he tasked himself with pulling hard and harder lifts. He went from food and trinkets to slipping billfolds out of purses, then pockets. He kept the money but always pitched the personal effects somewhere they were likely to be found. After all, he wasn't a _criminal_, he was just after a little bit of spending money.

The first few dips didn't net anything, but on his fourth time he got lucky. Someone had a 20. He went a little light-headed at actually having money in his hand. He'd never had money. Ever. Growing up in the threadbare orphanage, they weren't given any. There wasn't any to give.

To Naruto, the crisp bill felt like a holiday in his hand. He could actually _buy_ something. _Anything!_ He saw the night market with fresh eyes. All of the junk, the knock-off clothing, the food stalls, all of it could be theirs—

Later, when they passed a pastry stand and the sweet smell of fried pies hit them and Sasuke's stomach growled audibly, Naruto leapt forward with a giant smile. He bought two steaming hot pies while Sasuke stared. But his eyes dropped to the bill flashing in Naruto's hand.

Naruto handed him the pie, but Sasuke shook his head, pointing instead at the wad of cash. "Where'd you get that?"

Naruto straightened with pride. "I got it off some old rich guy who wasn't paying attention." But Sasuke still didn't take the pie.

"Don't worry," Naruto said quietly, leading him away from the stand, "I didn't take anything else. And he'll find his wallet if he retraces his steps. It's all good!" Naruto grinned and shoved the pie into Sasuke's hand. The scent and heat persuaded him better than Naruto could, and Sasuke finally gave in. They plopped down on the curb and ate, licking the hot fruit syrup off their fingers. The troubling fact of the source of the money was forgotten behind a haze of deliciousness like they'd never had before.

From then on, Naruto and Sasuke avoided the one difference they'd ever had. Naruto made sure to split off from Sasuke when he went to follow a possible mark. And Sasuke never asked when Naruto later produced "gifts" that he'd purchased from the market stalls. Sweets that were once unimaginable, meals they never thought they'd taste — all of it was within their grasp now.

And in that harmony, Naruto and Sasuke thrived, tasting a side of life they had never imagined in their all their days at the drab orphanage. Those years were brilliant fun. They were together, and nothing could touch them.

But at 14, two things happened. Not together…in fact, they occurred months apart. But in Naruto's memory, the two events were inextricably entwined, as if they happened the very same day.

Sasuke was chosen for the Academy.

And Naruto was marked for the Akatsuki.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes<strong>

This chapter opens up more about where Naruto cam from. And his friendship with Sasuke. But hopefully I've captured their personalities even in the modern world. Threw in a nod to his ninja background and a tie to Katsuro from VitW (did you notice?). Next chapter, everything changes for Naruto.

So...if this wasn't the story you were hoping to see updated, don't worry! I'll be getting them all updated very soon! :) But this one was finished first!

As always, read and review, and check the website for previews of upcoming chapters!


	4. The Chosen One

**Chapter 4 - The Chosen One**

The fourteen-year-old blond shook out his shaggy hair, kicked his heel against the old crate and peered up through his bangs at the rainbow lights of the night market. He loved this place. He knew it better than anyone, mainly because he spent so much time here. But still, this place was _his_. He owned it, and he owned nothing else in the world except a few changes of clothes. And those weren't even his really, just hand-me-downs.

Naruto raked a hand through his hair and scanned the crowd for a good mark. There was an old lady with an unzipped purse. A shopkeeper distracted by a customer. Even a beleaguered boyfriend, carrying too many bags to notice his back pocket flap was open, leaving a wad of cash exposed, free for the taking.

But Naruto just sighed. None of these would do. He had grown so good at pickpocketing over the years that those people were just too easy. He wanted one that presented a challenge. Something new. Something to keep his mind off of Sasuke….

He shoved off the crate and walked down the crowded sidewalks, numb to the jostling shoppers and noisy merchants without hearing them. Even wandering the market couldn't completely distract him. And that had always made him feel better.

Sasuke's voice still rung in his head, saying that he shouldn't go out anymore. That he was just running away.

But Sasuke didn't understand. Things always worked out for _him_. Anything he set out to do just came easily. It was never that way for Naruto. But _this_, this game of stealth, was what he was good at. He needed this.

Naruto could just picture him, right now back at the orphanage, his black head bowed over the text book, studying into the night beneath their lone desk lamp, scribbling notes and flipping pages. Even remembering the sound made Naruto twitchy. His hands clenched and unclenched, anxious for some activity, something wallet to lift, some mark to follow. But nothing presented itself.

He rubbed his neck, telling himself that it didn't matter. Sasuke hadn't been out with him to the night market for a full week. Tonight shouldn't be any different, he thought bitterly.

But even as he said it, he knew it was lying to himself. Tonight they'd had the biggest fight they'd ever had. It wasn't loud — only whispered viciously to each other out of earshot of the other sleeping boys, until Naruto left in stony silence. The screen smacking closed behind him was the only noise, but in Naruto's head, the whole argument replayed in harsh yells and slammed fists.

It all started the week before, when the man from the Konoha Academy came to talk to them about their futures. It was one of the "perks" of being an orphan in Konoha.

For Naruto, just having easy access to the night market was perk enough. Sasuke, of course, disagreed.

At 14, children from the orphanages and halfway houses around Konoha were allowed to test for placement in the Konoha Academy. Not a normal school with books and paper and lots of subjects. But a trade school where they studied one skill, from age 15 to 18, and if they were good enough at it, then they could apply for jobs in that field when they graduated. Or, if they outshined all the rest, they could try for scholarships to another school, a real one like a college or a professional academy. But you had a better chance of seeing a shooting star through the night market haze than getting a scholarship.

The Konoha Academy was government's idea of a 'leg-up' in an otherwise cruel world. And the orphanage kids knew it. From an early age they were told the academy was their only hope. Kids without a family name or a legacy or _money_ didn't dare dream for better. That's not that way Konoha worked. It was drilled into the orphans just how important getting into the academy was. Their future depended on it.

If they didn't…then life would be a free-fall of odd jobs and no money. The pamphlets passed around by the thin government agent with the frown lines creased into his forehead, looking down at each child as if he were permanently unimpressed, emphasized what they could expect if they slipped through the cracks of a stratified society like Konoha. Life would be crushingly hard. Orphans were at the bottom. The academy was their only ladder out.

Many more colorful brochures went round, all of them titled "Careers in Konoha," and all of them detailing some kind of service to the city. Most were the types of jobs that were unappealing to kids, such as trash pickup, sewer repair, plumbing, and so on. But the most popular was the police track. If a student won a spot there, the brochures promised that they could graduate to the real police academy, then get a job on the police force or work as a special agent or maybe even become a captain in the military.

Or at the very least get hired as a night security guard down at the fish docks, the government man added blandly, saying it was an overlooked career which was always in high demand.

But the pamphlets didn't sway Naruto and Sasuke's minds. From an early age, they'd had their hearts set on the police track. Sasuke being Sasuke, he scanned the blue brochure and quickly mapped out a plan for both of them: They'd go through the Konoha Academy on the police track, then graduate to the real police academy, and then they'd get on the force. That way they'd always stay together. Naruto heartily agreed.

A small sticking point was that the police track was also the hardest to get. Good grades, high test scores, and a top physical ability were required. But growing up Naruto and Sasuke had no doubt of their place in academy. That was their job track. It seemed like a foregone conclusion. A guaranteed thing.

The next night, the government man appeared at their study room door. He wore a grey suit matched the wall, and accessorized only by a clipboard and his perpetual frown.

Their Okasaan motioned to them to stand.

The man went down the line, looked at the clipboard and at each child, up and down, then jotted a few notes.

"Police track, eh?"

"Yes, sir," Naruto and Sasuke answered together in excitement.

"Kept your grades up?"

"Yes, sir," Sasuke answered firmly.

"You healthy? Strong?"

"Yes, sir," Naruto chimed in.

"And you've stayed out of trouble? Clean record?" They nodded vigorously, not giving voice to that half-truth. They didn't exactly stay out of trouble, but they'd never been caught…so that was as good as a clean record, right?

The man scratched out more notes on the board, then pointed to a box of books by the door. "Alright, you'll find textbooks and manuals there. Study them. You'll have three tests: two practice and one final exam. At the end of each month I'll return and test you on how far you've gotten. The study courses are outline in the books. Study hard. Good luck."

The boys scrambled to find their books and took them back to their beds. They curled up that night with visions of what their future might hold, devouring the information until well after curfew.

It was only when Naruto was nodding off did he realize that they hadn't gone to the night market. It was the first night they'd missed it. Still awake, studying the textbook in his bed, Sasuke didn't seem notice.

The next morning, Sasuke never mentioned the gap in their nightly ritual. Instead he set to memorizing everything in the book. He skimmed through the chapters, seeing the practice quizzes at the end of each one, and set a goal of passing them all before the first practice exam.

Naruto saw Sasuke's dedication and agreed that he'd do it too. But book-learning had never come easy for him. Sasuke studied and studied, but Naruto's attention soon waned. He looked at the window longingly, even though it was still light out. Sasuke tapped Naruto's book with a smile, but it didn't help. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't manage to make it successfully through a chapter.

That night, when deep darkness fell and the smells of the market seeped through the screen, Naruto thought he was going to burst out of his skin.

"I can't do it anymore! My brain's full! I'll study tomorrow," he said, pushing back his chair. "Let's get out, just for a little while." But Sasuke shook his head. "Come on Sasuke, let's go—"

"I want to stay and study. I'll go tomorrow."

Naruto looked at the back of his head, feeling hurt and abandoned. He thought about sinking back into the chair and staying, but one look at that book and he couldn't take it. He'd rather be alone in the market than trapped there studying.

"O-Okay…suit yourself…." He slipped quietly out of the room, hoping that Sasuke would change his mind. But he never did.

Not the next night. Nor the night after that.

Still, Naruto made good on his word. He studied during the day. But more often than not he discovered that he'd fallen asleep over his book rather than retaining anything he'd read. Late at night, at the end of the first week, they tried one of quizzes. When they checked their answers Sasuke smiled proudly. But Naruto…. He quickly crumpled up his answer sheet and threw it in the trash.

But Sasuke was faster. He grabbed it.

The difference between them was clear. Sasuke had made a perfect score. But Naruto had barely managed to get one question right, and even that one had been erased and rewritten a few times, so that Sasuke was sure it was just a lucky guess.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, surprising Naruto with just how angry he was. It stole the defensive bragging he was ready to spout out about how quizzes couldn't cover everything, and that once they were police no one would care about how he filled out answers, just whether he could chase down a criminal or not, and he knew that he could.

Sasuke crumpled the paper in his fist, saying softly so as not to wake the other sleeping boys, "You're not taking this seriously—"

"I am—" Naruto whispered back.

"You're going to screw everything up—"

"I'm not!"

Their whispers grew louder, faces closer, fists tighter.

"You're out there, wasting your time, when you should be studying."

"I AM NOT—" a child flipped over on his cot, sleeping fitfully, and Naruto dropped his voice, "wasting my time! You just don't get it, that's all. I've never been good at _that_ stuff." He snatched his quiz sheet back from Sasuke, only to throw it in the trash again. "But I'll show 'em what I can really do in the physical tests."

Sasuke was unconvinced. "We're supposed to be doing this together."

"We are," Naruto said, a note of triumph in his voice. "You're doing it your way. And… And I'm doing it mine!" He smiled at his sudden inspiration, the idea sounding good to his own ears as well. "So now we've finished the first quiz. Let's go celebrate." He jutted his chin at the darkened screen.

But Sasuke only scowled. "No. I need to keep studying." He dropped back into his seat, ignoring Naruto's surprised look. "Do what you want," he said, flipping open the book to the next chapter. "Just don't screw it up."

Naruto's face went red. "I won't 'screw it up!' Stay here with your books! I'll still do better than you on— on— on _all the tests_!"

It was a bold-faced lie and they both knew it, but at that moment Naruto didn't care. He let screen slam behind him, punctuating his harsh whisper.

Hours later, walking through the night market, Naruto bolstered himself. He admitted that the paper tests probably wouldn't turn out that great for him. Sasuke was always the one with the book smarts. In the physical test he was bound to shine. A real police officer would have to be strong and able to think on his feet, not recite from a book anyway. He was steadily growing faster and stronger. And he'd never seen anyone else at the night market with skills like his. He'd know, because he'd looked. He was really good at his game of stealth, maybe the best around. And that had to be good for something.

With the whole of the night market at his disposal, it made Sasuke's pressure about studying fade into the background. Who needed tests when you could lift anything you wanted, whenever you wanted?

The tight knot in his shoulders he'd had since he left the orphanage that night finally began to ease, and he started to feel better.

Just then, a family passed into the stall in front of him, and Naruto knew he'd found his mark. The father, being pulled into a music seller's tent by his two kids, adjusted his hand in his front pocket, giving away that that's where he'd tucked his wallet for safekeeping. Naruto smiled to himself. _Perfect._

The back pocket was too easy. Anyone could do that. But the front pocket, that was a challenge.

He strode casually up beside them, all attention fixed on the rows and rows of cds on the table. He leaned beside the father, stretching for a disc in front of him. The man stepped aside politely, giving Naruto room to shop. But he didn't know that Naruto's other hand had already dipped into the edge of his pocket, under the cover of his outstretched arm. As the man leaned away, his wallet neatly dislodged.

Naruto smiled into the man's face. "Thanks!" The harried father nodded with barely second glance.

This was where it got fun. Instead of leaving like any other common pickpocket would — snagging the wallet and splitting as fast as he could — Naruto stayed put, just a step away from his mark. He turned the cd over in his hand as if he were just another shopper.

He didn't know if it was adrenaline or not, but he always got a faint buzzy feeling in his brain at this part. It was a rush. He was good at what he did, and he liked doing it. If he was discovered now, if he'd been seen or if the man noticed his wallet was missing then it was all over. But they never did. Naruto knew he was that good.

Naruto examined the cd in one hand, looking terribly interested in the song listing at the back, while the other hand in his pocket flipped through the wallet and tugged out half the bills. Then, before anyone was the wiser, he leaned back into the man again to replace the cd, apologized brightly — "Sorry! I already have that album!" — and slid the wallet back into his pocket. The man moved with him, never feeling the subtle weight returning to his pocket, and nodded politely before being dragged across the stall by one of his kids.

He never even turned to see who had bumped into him, a fact that Naruto always counted on. Most people didn't bother to look up. They didn't want to be inconvenienced. And Naruto knew that little quirk of human nature would protect him in case things ever did go wrong. But they never did.

It was like he was invisible, just like one of the ninjas from their childhood stories.

Naruto turned and walked out, comfortable and serene. At the edge of the tent, he saw the father pat his pocket protectively, making sure his wallet was still there. And it was. Just a few bills lighter.

Smiling to himself as he went on, Naruto shoved one hand in the pocket with the folded bills and raked his hand through his hair with the other. He strode close to a vendor, grinning broadly at the grumpy old woman running it. He pulled his hand from his hair suddenly, leaving it standing on end.

He smiled. She didn't smile back, only harrumphed that he was passing by her stand without stopping and folded her arms over her chest. It didn't dampen his mood however, because in the moment she was distracted from her wares, his hand had snaked out, snagged an rosy peach from the edge of the table and slipped it back in the pocket. The peach dropped in easily, rustling the money.

Naruto grinned back at the old grump and kept going. Two stalls down, he pulled the peach from his pocket and took a bite. Juice ran down his chin. He didn't know if it was really as delicious as it tasted…or if it tasted better because he had nicked it right out from under her nose.

He strode down the aisles, bobbing under the drooping awnings, enjoying the cool night air and the feeling that he was free to do what he pleased. Making a good pull was just the thing he needed to feel better.

He even laughed out loud at the thought of Sasuke and him fighting. It seemed ridiculous now. It was just the pressure of the tests. But they'd both do fine. He had no doubt.

A thin old fishmonger mistook Naruto's smile for a greeting and waved good-naturedly. Naruto waved back, making a mental note never to steal from him.

He breathed deeply, feeling above all the noise and smells and cramped stalls and people haggling all around him. It still felt like the magical land it did when he was a younger, where anything was possible.

He never noticed the shadowed figure down a side street, leaning against a dingy wall next to a nameless door, smoking a cigarette and watching him.

The next day the rift had not mended itself as Naruto expected, but Naruto ignored the heavy silence that seemed to have settled over them. They were at odds, for the first time ever, and each blamed the other. So Sasuke spent the day quietly studying. And Naruto dozed over his book, as was becoming his habit. That night, Naruto was happy to escape to the market, and Sasuke, accepting that this was his choice, let him go without a word.

Naruto wasn't sure how he felt about that, walking down the long alley by himself, certain now that his best friend wouldn't follow him. But he went on anyway. He needed to be out doing things, not staring at a book.

Naruto wandered the market for several hours, looking for a mark that would offer a challenge, when one practically walked right up to him.

A man in dark pants and a hoodie stepped in front of him, hand protectively clutched in his front pocket, obviously holding tight to his wallet. Naruto knew this was his man. Naruto stumbled, jostling him, and while he apologized he pulled out the wallet slipped out a few bills and replaced it. The man didn't even turn his head to nod, just kept right on walking. Naruto strode off in the opposite direction, congratulating himself.

But two streets over when he pulled out the cash to see how much he'd hauled, his fingers went cold beneath the crisp new bills. Folded in the middle was a yellow slip of paper with a single line of slanted writing.

"_You're pretty good. I have a job for you."_

Naruto looked around in a panic, sure it was a trap. But the guy in the dark outfit was nowhere to be seen. Naruto scanned the crowds for a long time, looking for the dark hoodie, realizing belatedly that he never saw the guy's face. His own trick had worked against him.

After hours more of both looking and waiting for something bad to happen, Naruto went home, extra cash still in his pocket. He didn't use it, nervous that maybe someone was watching him.

But then again, maybe it was fluke, and the note was never meant for him at all. He shrugged it off and went home.

But the next night he didn't make a lift at all. He just watched. There was no trace of the hooded man. For two more night he laid low, waited and watched. But after the third night his stomach growled as he passed a stall, pushing him to eat. He pulled out the stiff bills, and looked at them, waiting for something to terrible to happen. But it didn't. He slid his eyes across the bustling market, watching….

At the end of one street a hooded figure peeled away from a stall and walked into the crowd. Naruto's mouth went dry. He shoved the money in his pocket and rushed down the lane, trying to catch up but trying hard not to draw attention to himself.

But two lanes over, he turned in a complete circle. He'd lost him. Just as he was about to set off in a different direction, he caught the man's silhouette in the music seller's stall, hands in pockets, looking at the cds. The hood was still on. It was him, Naruto was sure of it.

He walked quietly up beside the man. The man, as if sensing someone, patted his front pocket and checked his wallet before reaching out to thumb through the discs.

Naruto had his opening, but he was suddenly unsure. He came even with hooded man and look at the rows of cds on the table, but he didn't raise his hand to make his usual lift. He held back. The man never moved.

_It could be a trap. Or there could be another note in there. Or maybe it wasn't the note wasn't even for him. _

Naruto opened his palm once to reach out and begin the lift, but he closed it again.

"Losing your nerve?"

Naruto froze.

The hood turned. A sheet white-blond hair of slipped out, partially hiding the pale blue eyes that were peering at him. "Well…go on," the man said with a knowing look. "Do want to keep fishing for small change? Cause if you do, then take the wallet."

He turned to Naruto completely. He was young, not ten years older than Naruto, and was undeniably handsome with his angled face and cool eyes. He wore the comfortable smirk of someone used to getting his way.

"But you could make a whole lot more working for me…."

He looked Naruto up and down, obviously not impressed with his orphanage clothes, but he shrugged a shoulder as if it could not be helped.

"Because I have something that needs done. And you're the only one that can do it. That's why I chose you."

Naruto gulped. Fear overwhelmed any pride he might have felt. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh now, don't be shy." He tipped his head, lips curling into a secret smile. He was handsome before, but now it was dazzling. "I've watched you work the market. I know what you can do. Pretty amazing. But I think you already knew that." He leaned closer, exuding confidence like Naruto had never seen before. He spoke as if it was already decided. "Now, I have a job for you."

Naruto leaned away, objections immediately raising. "Y-You've got the wrong idea— I'm not interested in any weird stuff—"

The man waved his hand dismissively. "It's a simple errand. Nothing more."

Naruto backed away a step, still debating whether to run or not.

"Pays well too…."

Naruto stopped. The man's eyes glinted, watching him as if he knew everything Naruto was thinking.

"That changes everything, doesn't it?" He wore a smug smile. "Well? Will you do it?"

_Money. 'Pay.' A job of his own. He didn't need it, of course, but he was intrigued. Just an errand…. One that only he could do…._

The man anticipated Naruto's answer. "Good. Meet me at the corner." He pointed to a shabby lo mein stand. "Tomorrow. Midnight." Then he strode out of the stall.

Naruto was still rooted to the spot. He watched his back, mind racing, processing everything that had just happened. "Wait! I don't even know your na—"

"Deidara, kid," he said without turning. He waved a single hand over his shoulder, then disappeared into the crowd

Naruto said the name to himself and looked back to the stall without seeing. He didn't exactly know what had just happened. But if that guy _chose_ him, then he must have been watching him for a while—

Naruto's gaze dropped to the rows of cds in front of him and he was astonished to see a thin black wallet laying on top of the disks. He looked around warily, thinking it may be a trap, but the stall was empty. He cautiously picked it up.

There was no money inside, only another yellow slip of paper with the same slanted writing.

"_See you tomorrow night, kid. Don't be late!"_

Naruto shoved the paper in his pocket with numb fingers and left the empty wallet on the cds.

* * *

><p>The next day, Sasuke was still buried in his books. So Naruto didn't tell him about the job, deciding instead to keeping it to himself. Which proved harder than he thought. And if anyone noticed that he did extra rounds of chores to keep himself busy, then no one said anything. Sasuke certainly didn't seem to care….<p>

So a little before midnight, a nervous Naruto found himself standing alone on a dark corner opposite a run-down lo mein stand. He waited and watched. Then at precisely twelve o'clock a man in ragged black jeans and a hoodie strode up and ordered. Naruto squared his shoulders; that was his man. Naruto watched him order, get his food, and linger over the sauces, apparently stalling for time. Naruto thought he'd let him sweat it out a little bit before he walked over. But just as he was pushing away from the wall, the man snapped the lid down over his tray of food and strode away.

_What the…. Was the guy just going to leave—_

"Looking for someone?"

Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin at the smooth voice next to him. Deidara's icy eyes sparked with laughter. He wore dark pants and a hoodie, and looked so similar to the man at the stand that Naruto did a double take. But Deidara was never there. The man with the lo mein had stopped to fumble with the lid again before rounding the corner. Naruto had seen the wrong guy. And Deidara knew it.

"Glad you came. Didn't see you at first." But the subtle laugh behind his words it made it clear he'd seen Naruto all along. "Come on, we need to get started."

"No," Naruto said with a braveness he didn't feel. "I need to know what this is about before I go—"

But Deidara was already walking away. He seemed to expect some resistance and threw back a ready answer over his shoulder. "It's easier to show you. Come on."

Slowly, warily, Naruto set off too.

Deidara led Naruto to a section of the night market he didn't find much reason to go to — the gaming parlors. Neon lights flickered everywhere, luring customers to come in and try their luck. Ten-cent pachinko machines, coupons for free meals, flashy internet gambling machines advertising big payouts or pretty girls waving from behind mahjong tables. Each shop had some gimmick to part shoppers with their money.

These places never appealed to Naruto. There was nothing here he could lift. He shoved his hands in his pockets and trailed behind Deidara till he slowed at a large corner pachinko parlor decorated like an old temple. The traditional beauty of the swooping roof, tasseled lanterns and swirling dragon gates were no competition however to the brash lights and noises coming from the top of the golden-painted stairs.

Deidara watched the entrance. Catching on, so did Naruto. Finally, a strapping man in white waltzed by the entrance. Clearly satisfied with himself, he scanned the street, waving in a prospective customers and patting a seat in front of a game as if it had been saved just for them. He popped in several coins of his own to get the game rolling, much to the gamers delight, before disappearing back into the sensory-overloaded gambling temple.

"That's him," Deidara said. "Norio Adachi. In his front pocket he keeps a small notebook. I need you to get it for me." He held out a replacement, a red composition book like the kind used for school assignments, only smaller. "I need to get a look at his book. Five minutes, tops. Then I need you to put it back. Understand?"

He turned to look Naruto in the face. And Naruto nodded once, his bright blue eyes sharpening like the pale blue ones in front of him. He _did_ understand. He was already going through the motions in his head, planning it out and actually looking forward to it. Deidara had been right. This job was something he could do. Only him. And it may be his most challenging boost yet.

The familiar excitement was already tingling through him.

"And don't get caught."

Now it was Naruto's turn to smirk, but before he could fire back a retort, Deidara pressed a thick roll of bills into his hand.

"Go up there and play until you get the book. Once you get it, say you're out of money and you're going to get more money. Ask him to hold your seat. House owners like that, they know your serious about spending money. Come around the corner," Deidara pointed a few buildings down, "and bring it to me. After I've had a look at it you can take it back."

Naruto tried to act casual, like it was no big deal, but he kept squeezing the roll of cash. He'd never seen so much. Ever. It made him wonder just exactly what Deidara did. "So what's in the book," Naruto said, with his best worldly-wise air. "Pass codes to cheat the games or something?"

He had no idea, but he'd seen a few movies at the orphanage that involved stealing passwords from a big boss, so maybe that's what was happening here too.

Deidara gave him a flat look. "Yeah. Sure. Don't worry about what's in the book, kid. Your job is just to bring it to me. Now go." But before Naruto go too far away, Deidara added, "And that money is your pay. So the faster you get it, the more you can keep."

Naruto's eyes went painfully wide, while Deidara's cool eyes sparked with laughter.

Motivated, Naruto made the lift after just a few games. He dropped a handful of coins out of pocket, grinning and embarrassed and acting like a young man with money to burn. Pleased to see such an enthusiastic gambler, the owner scooped up the money, clapping Naruto on the back. Naruto smiled up, thanking him profusely, and made the switch.

A few games later he announced he was going for more money.

Naruto strode around the corner, catching Deidara clearly by surprise. He was only halfway through his first cigarette, and looked up as if something had gone wrong. Naruto smiled, and Deidara's look of concern melted.

"W-Wow you're quick kid," he said, shaking his head and taking the book. He immediately flipped to the last few pages of writing and ran his finger down the tight columns of writing. Naruto didn't look too hard at what was there. He didn't care. He'd done his part.

Suddenly Deidara snapped the book shut. "Take it back." There was an edge to his voice. "I've seen what I needed to see." White-hot fury had turned Deidara's pale features even colder, giving him a deadly look that made Naruto swear never to cross him. He took a distracted draw off his cigarette, consumed by thoughts of whatever was written in the book.

Naruto waited for any further instruction, but when none came, he shrugged, slipped the book back into his pocket and left. Within ten minutes it was all over. He walked back around the corner again to see Deidara, back turned furtively, speaking low.

"No, I told you he's the one. That's why I chose him. Do you know how long it would've taken for me to sniff this out?" He turned back, saw Naruto and nodded to him. "Gotta go." He slipped an expensive looking phone into his pocket.

Naruto noticed whatever Deidara was angry about seemed to have passed. He relaxed his shoulders and strode the rest of the way. "Finished," he said, trying to sound as casual as if he was coming from the bathroom. But he thought the bit about the money might have been a joke. "So uh, about the payment…."

"Keep it! You've earned it," Deidara said, the smooth confidence back in his voice. "But I have another job for you. Tomorrow. Same thing, just a few blocks over."

Hands in his pocket, fingers curled around the roll of bills, Naruto wanted to shout for joy. But he kept his face as blank as he could. "Yeah. Sure." He sniffed. "Y'know, I guess."

"Right," Deidara said, seeing right through Naruto. "Well then, kid, since this has worked out so well for both of us," Deidara's lips curved into a grin, making his chiseled face in the shadow of his hoodie look more wickedly handsome than ever, "I'll meet you at the same corner, midnight, tomorrow."

Naruto nodded, speechless, dazzled by that smile and that someone like him would notice a kid like Naruto, out of all others in the market.

And then that was it. Deidara strode confidently away. And Naruto was left to wander slowly home and consider the new people he'd just met, the challenging job he'd just pulled, and, unbelieveably, the roll of money in his pocket.

He wanted to shout for joy. He didn't know how much there was, but it was more than he'd ever had in his life. And one thing was for certain: He couldn't wait to tell Sasuke and prove him wrong. His game of stealth at the market _wasn't_ a waste of time. And this proved it.

Besides it was long past time a truce. Especially now that he had real money to show Sasuke and they could buy anything they wanted at the market.

However, a squinting and blinking Sasuke, roused from a deep sleep in his bed where his text book had become his pillow, was much less pleased than Naruto had expected. Naruto shined his tiny flashlight at the roll of cash, resisting the urge to shake Sasuke by the shoulders.

"Who'd you take that off of?" Sasuke snapped, pushing the book of the bed and pulling the thin sheet out from underneath him.

"I didn't take it," Naruto said, sounding insulted. "I did a job and got paid."

More awake now, Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "And did this job involve _stealing_? We're supposed to be studying to become police, remember?"

"Of course I remember!" Naruto face twisted into a scowl. They'd never called their nights out at the market anything other than a game. "And don't say that — I'm not stealing! I'm not a— a— _thief!_"

Naruto waited for Sasuke to agree with him, after all, he'd done it too. But Sasuke didn't.

Instead he just laid back on the pillow, arms folded behind his head like he was waiting for Naruto to admit _he _was wrong. And Naruto could guess what Sasuke wanted to hear: That while Sasuke had been here studying for the police track, Naruto had been playing "thief" in the market." Well, Sasuke was wrong.

"It's not stealing if I don't take anything! Just borrowed, then put it back." Sasuke looked like he wanted to argue but Naruto cut him off. "No harm done! And I got paid!" Naruto's anger flared at the end. "And all you did was study!"

That did it. Sasuke jerked his covers and turned roughly away in the darkness, muttering something nasty under his breath. But Naruto didn't stand around to hear it. He stomped off, threw the flashlight and the roll of cash into the shoebox underneath his bed where the rest of his meagre treasures were, and flung himself onto the noisy mattress without getting changed.

So much for their truce.

After a long time, Sasuke sighed softly in the darkness. Soon after, he was snoring again. But Naruto lay awake, staring at the ceiling. The truth was, he wasn't sure if he'd meet Deidara again. Some part of him was still distrustful of the whole thing, and he really wanted Sasuke's advice.

But Sasuke's disdain sealed that decision. Naruto knew this job was his, and his alone. Sasuke could keep his books and his tests. Naruto would make a little extra money while he could, before they went off to the academy.

He stretched back on the pillow, relaxing. He decided he wouldn't mention the money, the job or even the night market to Sasuke again.

* * *

><p>Naruto established a rhythm working for Deidara. He didn't ask questions, he just went to the gaming parlors Deidara pointed to and lifted Deidara's little books. And despite his shabby clothing, Deidara always came through with the money. He didn't know what Deidara did, where he got the cash or what was in those books, and he didn't care.<p>

Deidara called it a job, and Naruto treated it like one. He didn't care about any of it, as long as he got paid.

He never looked at the books, just assuming they were pass codes or something. Because every gambling house they went to had one man with a little book.

But one night, after Naruto had pocketed the book and was going to meet Deidara, he saw it wasn't passcodes at all, it was numbers. Cash totals. In the thousands. A few of them in the tens of thousands. It didn't make sense. What could Deidara read from these lists? They were just numbers.

The thought occurred to him that perhaps Deidara was choosing which one steal from. Maybe that's what he did. Maybe he was a burglar, only he knocked over gambling houses. And now, Naruto was his accomplice.

Naruto's fingers went cold. And when he went around the corner to where he was supposed to meet Deidara, the rest of him went cold as well. He stopped dead in his tracks.

Deidara stood a few paces away wearing a black suit, white shirt and black tie. He looked like he would never be caught dead in a hoodie and dark jeans. Most startling was the blond hair, almost white, that fell in a wave over his face and hung back below his shoulders in a perfect sheet as if he'd stepped from a shampoo ad on the side of a bus. He flipped it back with that dazzling devilish smile.

Naruto didn't move. He'd never seen Deidara in anything other than a hoodie. And he'd certainly not seen that hair.

"Something wrong, kid?"

Beside him, a red-haired boyish-looking man rolled his eyes. He wore a similar suit, but where Deidara looked handsome, his cherub-faced friend only looked bored.

Standing together, leaning against the dim wall in their impeccable suits, they _both_ looked like they'd stepped out of some fashion ad.

The friend's dark eyes went up and down Naruto once before turning back to Deidara.

His voice was low, but he made no attempt to keep his words secret. So Naruto heard every bit.

"This? This is who you've been blowing your horn about? A street rat?"

Deidara never turned to his friend, instead he watched Naruto. As Naruto grew angrier, Deidara's smile grew wider.

"Any problems this time," Deidara said to Naruto, as if his friend has never spoken.

Naruto was boiling mad. He strode up, book in hand. "No, of course not. There's never any problem, is there?"

"Nope. There never is." Deidara grinned like a madman. "I was just explaining that to my friend here. Sasori, this was the 'little fox' I was telling you about—"

"You idiot, don't use our names!"

"Wha- I trust him! He's the one!"

Sasori laughed like Deidara really was a madman. "Oh really? Then what's his name?"

Deidara moved to answer, but stopped suddenly. "You know, I don't know. Kid, what's your name?"

Naruto was still pissed, but in the face of the two impeccably dressed men, he didn't have much choice but to answer. Instead he just injected as much venom into his voice as he could. "Naruto," he growled.

Deidara's eyebrows shot up in confusion. "Eh?"

Sasori rolled his eyes. "See even this kid has enough sense to come up with a fake name."

"No," Naruto said, "That's my real—"

"Yeah sure, kid," Deidara said with a hand wave. "Did you get the book?"

Naruto fished it out of his pocket and passed it over.

Deidara shot a smug look at Sasori. "See, told you." Sasori yanked the book out of his fingers without a word a ran through the pages just as Deidara always did.

Naruto didn't like the red-head. And, with Deidara showing up in a suit, Naruto felt like Deidara had pulled one over him as well. Naruto didn't like this feeling. He was the one who worked over other people without their knowing. Not him. He didn't like being the one worked over.

He screwed up his face. "So, those books. With the lists of money in them…." Deidara and Sasori looked up in unison. "What are you gonna do…rob those places or something?"

They stared at him for one long moment, and in that stretching silence, Naruto had sense enough to realize that calling out men in suits who might be robbing gaming houses wasn't the best course of action.

But Deidara burst out laughing, and even Sasori shook his head. "That's what you— What you— What you thought?" Deidara wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and sobered. "So kid, how long have you known what's in those books."

Naruto cut his eyes away before admitting, "just tonight. It was folded open when I lifted it."

Deidara elbowed Sasori. "See, I told you he could keep secrets." Sasori rubbed his rib and snapped the notebook shut.

"Doesn't matter," Sasori grunted. "If that's all he can do then he's still no use to us—"

"Use to you?!" Naruto was incredulous. "What makes you think I want to do more? I still don't know what it is you do! If you're pulling their bank books to see which one makes the most money, then I'm done. I'm not robbing a gaming parlor— I'm not robbing anything!"

"Kid," Deidara said with a patient smile, "why would I rob _my own_ game houses?" Naruto's face went slack. Deidara pulled out another tally book from his pocket. A small black leather one that was his personal book. "I'm checking the numbers, seeing which ones report an honest take…." He pointed to a modest sum on the one Naruto had just lifted and wrote it in his book. Then flipped back a page and pointed to a much larger number, circled twice. "And which ones are taking a bigger cut."

Naruto mouthed a noiseless, "Oh."

"If they're stealing from me, or if they've got extra machines in the back, then they'll don't want me to know. If I drop in, they'll show me the tally book from the office. But I need the one they keep with on the floor. The one they keep_ on them_ at all times. That's the book that will show me the real picture.

"Like I said, it's a job only you can do. And this one's clean." He gave the book back to Naruto. He hooked his arm around Naruto's shoulder and walked with him a few steps. "Now go put it back then come back here, and let's talk about other ways we can use that talent of yours."

Naruto glanced sideways at him, uncertain.

"Trust me, 'little fox,'" Deidara said with that dazzling smile that was at once convincing and unyielding. "I know what I'm doing."

Even then, Naruto knew saying 'no' wasn't an option. But the tasks were harmless and the money was good, so he was happy to go along.

Their routine changed up after that. Sometimes Naruto was sent in to lift a book. Sometimes it was to retrieve keys off a bartender. Or cash out of a till. And then he had to put them back again. Increasingly harder lifts with increasingly challenging returns.

Every task seemed designed to impress Sasori, who was always with them now. And eventually Sasori begrudgingly admitted his skill, even feeling comfortable enough to ask him to run a few errands.

Naruto thought Sasori was still gruff, and that he and Deidara were an odd couple to be in business together, but he could see the appeal. Sasori was restrained where Deidara was exuberant, logical where Deidara was impulsive. And after the initial distrust wore off, Naruto had to admit he wasn't that bad. He wasn't as friendly as Deidara, but his rough exterior had begun to fade with familiarity.

As the months pass, Naruto's gig as the go-between for their errands worked out well. The money wass good, and he never did anything that hurt anyone. Just used stealth. And with every boost he got better. He was so smooth he knews he wouldn't get caught. He may not wear fancy suits or run shops or gambling houses, but he really felt like he owned the night market now.

During those two months the practice tests for the academy came and went. Naruto didn't do well, but he shrugged it off. He was now more certain than ever that those tests were to scare kids. They'd never turn anyone down unless they've done something really bad.

Sasuke did well, of course. But strangely Naruto no longer cared the way he used to. He no longer felt like he had to keep up with Sasuke. He had his own money, and he knew with confidence that his skills would help him along were book-learning could not. He was sneaky, and police couldn't just learn that from books. He believed in himself now. And that had to count for something.

So when the class scores came back, and he was at the bottom of the class, Naruto put on his biggest show of bravado yet.

"Doesn't matter! These test don't mean anything! I'll show 'em," he blustered when a younger kid let out a whistle at the low score. "Trust me," he said, adopting Deidara's confident grin. "I know what I'm doing." The other kids gaped, and Naruto noted with satisfaction that a few were even a little jealous.

But not Sasuke. "Geez, shut up Naruto," he whispered while they stood in line, waiting for the thin man from the academy to assess their scores. "Don't screw this up!"

Naruto turned, anger blossoming. "Worry about yourself Sasuke," he hissed back. "_I've_ got everything under control."

Naruto would have said more, but academy man was already scratching more notes on his clipboard. He flicked his gaze at Naruto, frown deepening, and continued writing.

There was no more time for talking after that. The final exam was in two days. It covered everything they'd learned so far, and Sasuke and a few of the younger kids were cramming in every spare moment they could. Naruto's textbook was gathered dust under his bed.

He ignored their heads bent over the books, scratching out the practice tests in the back, and did extra chores to keep himself busy. He couldn't wait till the sun went down. Then it was only a matter of hours until the rest were asleep and he was free and he didn't have to think about tests or chores or anything else except the 'mission' at hand.

They were really glorified errands, but as a joke to pass the time, Naruto had begun to think of them like ninja missions. Something super secret and only assigned to him. Just thinking that way never failed to put a smile on his face, even while he finished mopping out the bathroom.

He knew as he worked that he wouldn't have to do those chores much longer. After the final exam he and Sasuke would move to academy housing and begin the police track. He didn't know how he felt about it. He should be happy, ecstatic that their dream of going to the police track was coming true. But he was torn. He had enjoyed his work for Deidara, and wasn't anxious for it to come to an end. And he certainly didn't want to leave the market. But there was nothing he could do. The final exam was only days away, but he'd already been making sure to live up his nights, taking every crazy request Deidara gave him, as if change wasn't coming.

Among the errands and 'missions' were a couple of pranks Deidara ordered on an old friend. Sasori didn't approve. He stood back, arms folded, eyeing the quiet old residential area that had recently become popular with a younger crowd, saying the streets were too busy there. Deidara always shrugged him off.

Tonight was no different. A young couple walked by, holding hands, a bag of carry-out swinging from one arm. Sasori turned away automatically, Deidara lit a cigarette, and Naruto plunged his hands in his pockets.

"This is stupid. The kid's gonna get caught out here."

"No way, he's an old man. Weak," Deidara said before shooting Naruto a fierce smile. "Besides, the kid hasn't been caught yet." Naruto grinned.

He'd already been to the house before, on Deidara's orders, so he knew to slip in through the back gate, creep down narrow space between the houses that doubled as a garden, dip his hand into the corner of the koi pond and fish out the key. Deidara's instructions were perfect, showing just how well he knew his friend, so Naruto didn't worry about this job. It wasn't like they were stealing or anything. Just a bit of fun, pinching objects from his house just to see if the old man would notice.

And of course, Naruto was happy to show off his skill. He'd come a long way from stealing apples in the market.

Naruto crept in the back door to the man's darkened entryway, unlocking the door without a sound. Deidara instructed him to take a hanging scroll one night, a brass figurine the next. Even an old metal paperweight with a line scratched through the design. They were nothing but trinkets, though Deidara called them the old man's "trophies."

Naruto delivered them all without a problem. The adrenaline buzzed in his brain, fueled by the amazement of the two men. Deidara said he was like a ninja out of some movie, and Sasori finally admitted that Deidara was right, there was no one quite like him in all of Konoha.

Examining the items, Deidara and Sasori laughed at how their old friend must be driving himself crazy trying to remember where he'd put them. Sasori wanted to return the items immediately, but Deidara always pocketed them, assuring Sasori they'd return them…eventually. But he wanted to make the old man sweat it out first.

Tonight, Naruto was to slip into his living room, find a low old desk in the corner and retrieve a ring. Deidara didn't know where it was exactly, but the ring was in the desk.

Creeping through the empty room, Naruto realized this was the farthest inside he'd been. Light slanted from the blinds across a single round carpet on the floor. There were several pillows and seats as if he entertained, but the room smelled musty and a bit stale, like too many cigarettes had been smoked there. He wrinkled his nose. Off the living room was another room, with flags hanging over the opening. It wasn't a bedroom or a kitchen…more like a workspace of some kind.

Laughter echoed up from the road and Naruto stopped, waiting. A leaf fell outside the blinds, its shadow shattering the straight lines on the carpet for a moment, then all was quiet again. He moved on to the corner where the desk sat. He rifled through it, making sure not move anything, and found the ring wrapped in cloth at the back of a drawer. His lips curled into a wry smile. _No problem._

Dropping it into his pocket, he was out the door in seconds, locking it then replacing the key in the pond. With one wet arm, he dashed down the stone path to the gate, but he noticed the gate wasn't closed completely. And he remembered shutting it—

A black wire shot out from the side, looping around his ankles, tightening and drawing him up and flipping him backwards so he cracked his head on a flagstone. He swung wildly for the wire but before he could free his feet, a big man came out of the darkness and stood over him, holding the end of the loop.

"Look what I've caught…." He jerked the wire tighter. "Thought you could steal from an old man did you?"

He stepped into the light, and Naruto realized he wasn't nearly as old or feeble as Deidara had made him out to be. The man was much bigger than him, barrel chested, thick armed and looked like he could still pummel anyone into the ground. Especially a 14-year-old kid.

Naruto scrambled backwards for the gate, trying desperately to catch the edge with his fingers. But before he could use it to pull himself free, a bolt of white-hot lightening exploded in his chest. His arms jerked on their own, flinging the gate back against the wall. And then it was over.

His ears buzzed with electricity, his tongue felt thick in his mouth, and from the position of his head he could see upside-down out into the street, to the dark tree where he was supposed to meet Deidara and Sasori. The spot was empty.

Only when the old man jerked him up did Naruto realize he couldn't move a muscle.

"Well, well…Deidara's new pet. How fortunate for me." He shook Naruto by the chest before letting him drop back hard to the ground. In his other fist he held a stun gun. "So…. You like doing his dirty work?"

Naruto's body wouldn't respond. He was alone, and the man above him was big and crazed looking, with scars along his face like he'd seen hard battle. Panic gripped him but there was nothing he could do—

"Of course, you'll have to pay me…." The man dug into Naruto's pants pocket, finding the roll of money Deidara had given him for a job earlier in the evening. "Well, well. Industrious are we?" He thumbed through the bills. "That should cover everything _you've_ taken. I'll deal with those two clowns later."

The old man tossed the stun gun aside and kneeled down. "So…. The Little Fox, eh?" He pulled something from his pocket. "Then why don't we make it official…."

A single long needle slid out from between his thumb and forefinger. The sharpened tip glinted like a talon.

Naruto gulped. It was a tattoo needle like the kind used on samurai in his old school books, showing their strength by enduring such pain. His Okasaan warned against emulating the old samurai and never get a tattoo, saying it was strictly forbidden in Konoha. Didn't matter to him, he'd never even seen one except for in his books. But he remembered.

The thick needle flashing in front of his face was with the bamboo end was exactly the same as in those picture. And Naruto was powerless to get away from it.

The old man didn't have a drop of sympathy for his plight. He grabbed Naruto's hair, jerked his head back and slashed the air over his face. Naruto's eyes rolled in their sockets. The old man waved the needle closer, and Naruto jerked harder, afraid the old man was going to gouge them out. But the old man just laughed, enjoying tormenting him.

Naruto's fingers grabbed at the air, trying to work themselves into fists. He thought he might be regaining some control and even tried to speak. But the words were still lodged in his throat. The old man narrowed his eyes, realizing the paralyzing effect of the stun gun was wearing off.

He flipped the needle deftly in his fingers till he held it like a brush. "Well then…Little Fox. Let's try this one on for size…."

Driving his knee down into Naruto's chest, the old man forced his head back with one hand and began carving deep lines into his cheek.

Feral screams finally tore free from Naruto's throat.

* * *

><p>Across the street, hidden in view of the tree where they were supposed to meet up, Deidara laughed to himself. "Sounds like the kid finally got caught. Didn't think it could happen."<p>

Sasori rolled his eyes. "Of course Kakuzu would get him. The man's an old Akatuski. He's paranoid as hell."

"Why do you think I like screwing with him so much?!"

Another scream ripped through the air. Deidara puffed his cigarette and watched the angled shadow where the gate was open. But there was no movement. Only the cries of pain echoing off the buildings.

Suddenly it was answered by distant calls of concern. Approaching voices meant the outburst was drawing attention. Deidara went to leave, but stopped when Sasori didn't follow. "You coming?"

A gut-wrenching howl came out of darkness, and Sasori's normally stony face twisted with disbelief. "You're just going to leave that kid in there?"

Deidara shrugged. "Kakuzu won't do anything to him." There was another scream and Sasori looked at him as if he were crazy. "I mean, _he won't kill him_." Deidara added dramatically. "He's probably just giving the kid a tattoo." Deidara smiled at the thought. "A free tat from the famous Kakuzu? The kid'll probably even thank me later—"

Running footsteps were followed by the unmistakeable cry of a policeman's whistle. Deidara turned serious. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

Deidara flicked his cigarette into the gutter and turned to go. Sasori shook his head and glanced back at the open gate, but he didn't disagree. With shadows chasing down the street, closing in on the source of the disturbance, Deidara and Sasori slipped away, leaving only echoing screams in empty lane behind them.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

So, things aren't turning out as Naruto planned...! But don't worry, he'll be ok. Eventually! :)

This is a modern AU, so this how Naruto gets his whiskers. No demons, no crazy mystical events. Just cruelty. Yes, he's The Chosen One, but it's very different than the manga. Anyway, it's very real and modern. People are mean and kindness often comes with a price. So this is the world Naruto is growing up in, which I think is much tougher than the fantasy world of a psuedo-ninja village which he reads about in storybooks.

Also, Naruto uses the terms "lift" and "boost" and "dip" instead of pick-pocketing or stealing. In his mind, this is still just a game, and the language he uses reflects that. Sasuke however is seeing it as something else. He's fully in the mindset of joining the police academy track, so he's beginning to see their old habits as something that is criminal, and that can't co-exist with wanting to be a police officer.

Thanks for the reviews and notes! I've tried to get back to everyone, but in case I haven't yet, thankyou thankyou! Please check the website for previews of the next chapter, and... Next up, Voice in the Wind update! :) So read and review!


	5. Little Fox

**Chapter 5 - Little Fox**

"And the next time I catch you down here, _Little Fox_," Kakuzu whispered into Naruto's face, "I won't be so nice." Then he dragged Naruto out and dumped him on the sidewalk. "Now get outta here!" His livid voice resonated down the street. "And enjoy your new piece."

Cafe goers and onlookers turned to the sound in unison and a police officer came running up before Kakuzu could duck back behind his gate. Pocketing the needle, Kakuzu straightened, smoothed down the front of his kimono coat and plastered on a bored look.

The officer ran over and hoisted up Naruto, inspecting the lines that were weeping blood down his cheeks. Shaking and choking back sobs, Naruto slowly stood.

"What's going on here," the young officer demanded.

"Just a simple transaction," Kakuzu said easily. "The whelp has been pestering me for quite a while. Dropping by unannounced and practically begging for me to carve out his little design."

Naruto swallowed a sob to shoot a murderous look at the old man. He was trying hard not to cry because it burned the gouges. But the tears came anyway.

The policeman eyed them both suspiciously, trying to determine if this story was true.

"He even paid me for the work." Kakuzua smirked and pulled out the roll of money — _Naruto's_ roll of money — and showed it off.

The officer frowned then. "Is this true," he said sharply, rounding on the boy.

Naruto didn't answer. He scanned his surroundings, anger swelling in his chest. Deidara and Sasori had abandoned him. He was caught by their 'old friend.' Maybe the three of them were even in on it together. Was _this_ why Deidara said he 'chose him'—

"Of course it's true!" Kakuzu grinned like a cat who'd finally caught the mouse. "Why else would he be down here every evening if he didn't want some work done on him?"

Naruto blinked, tears and blood drying on his cheeks. He was caught. He couldn't admit to a police officer that he'd really been nicking things from the old man, even if it was only a prank. He'd be thrown in jail, even for a couple of hours. And it would ruin his chances of getting into the academy—

Another thought crashed down him— The academy, the police force, his _future_…all of it— Gone….

Kakuzu had sentenced him to something much worse. And he knew it. Naruto bit back another sob.

The officer glared at Naruto, waiting for an answer. Cheeks throbbing, Naruto dropped his gaze to the cracked pavement. His shoulders slumped in misery. He refused to answer, but to the officer his gesture was as good as a full confession. He fisted a handful of Naruto's shirt to lead him away.

Kakuzu's smile widened until it was all teeth. "Wanted to join a gang this one. Even called himself the 'Little Fox.' So I just gave him some whiskers."

The officer jerked Naruto hard by the shoulder, all previous concern gone, but aimed a stern look at Kakuzu. "Old man, if I catch you working on minors again, it's lights out for you. Got it? You know tattooing — even scarification like this —" he pointed into Naruto's face, "is illegal now in Konoha. You may like 'the old ways' but times are different. Even if a kid like _this_ does come to you," he pushed Naruto, "you still can't do it. Understand?"

Kakuzu put up his hands in mock contrition. "Of course! My mistake! Won't ever happen again!"

The officer grunted wheeled Naruto around. The crowd of onlookers dispersed. "Where do you live kid? I'll need to speak to your parents."

Naruto sniffed and cringed painfully. The movement stretched his shredded skin. He dabbed at his blood-wet cheeks, tears welling up at the pain. "I-I live at the Konoha Home."

"Oh…." The officer was quiet for a moment. "And how old are you?"

"I'm 14," Naruto said, voice breaking.

The officer narrowed his eyes, putting everything together. "You think I don't know what you're doing? Associating with a guy like that?" Naruto's shoulders sagged, and the officer jerked him along without sympathy. "I grew up in a children's home too, you know. So don't think you're so special."

Naruto looked over at him in deep surprise. He never would have guessed. But the officer wasn't interested in making a connection.

"So, I guess going to an academy wasn't good enough for you? Going to make your name on the streets instead?"

"No, that's not what I was— I never would—" But emotion stopped the words in his throat.

They walked the rest of the way in silence. The officer knew exactly where to go, even taking a few shortcuts. Finally as they approached the orphanage the man sighed. His voice softened a notch. "Well, whatever you were trying to do or be…none of it matters now." He nodded towards Naruto's wounded face but didn't let his eyes linger. "That's your burden to bear, kid. And everybody's got one."

Naruto tipped his eyes up at the officer, unsure of his meaning. In the light of the dank stairwell up to the floor that housed the orphanage, Naruto saw a huge mark across the man's face. A scar right across his nose.

The officer glanced sideways at him. "You looking at my scar? Yeah, well this came from _fighting_ those men you aspire to be like!" The man's anger reignited. He pointed at the Naruto's cheek. "But these things mark you for life. No one will even to hire you with that on your face! You know that?" He shook his head. "Geez kid, why'd you go and get it _there_. Only the gangs will take you now—"

"I, I—" Naruto finally found his voice when they were at the landing. "I wasn't going to join a gang! I want to go to the police academy and, and—"

The door cracked open and the Konoha Home's sweet house mother peered out. But her round face immediately distorted into horror. She took an involuntary step back, clutching her chest at all the blood before she realized who was beneath it and threw the door open.

"Na-Naruto? Child, who did this to you?"

Naruto bit his lip, but he couldn't stop the tears. "O-Okaasan, I'm so sorry— I didn't mean to—" Bloody tears fell off his chin in fat red droplets.

"Officer Iruka Umino, ma'am. Unfortunately, he did this himself. Or rather, he paid for it." Naruto hung his head and sobbed quietly, but he didn't deny it. "Apparently he had thoughts of joining one of the local gangs?" The officer's tone had softened, as if he hoped he was wrong.

"No, he was going to go to academy," she said pulling Naruto over the threshold and peering at his wounds. "Police track, if I remember…."

Naruto nodded miserably. The officer cleared his throat. "I don't see how that's possible now—" But he stopped himself. "Well…."

Naruto looked up desperately, scanning his face for any shred of hope. But Officer Umino had none to give. Above his scar, his eyes held something like pity.

The house mother ushered them both inside and set to cleaning Naruto's wounds. The office spoke about Konoha and its history with gangs…and, delicately, _quietly_, about how the boy might expect to be treated now….

The house mother tried to stay positive, but it was harder and harder in the face of everything the officer was saying. "What about his final exam? He was hoping to join the police—?"

Officer Umino shook his head.

The house mother's sigh hitched. She placed her fingers to her mouth to stifle a small cry. "Oh…."

Naruto went numb.

"Well…good luck kid." Officer Umino rose to leave and the house mother walked with him, stopping to talk furtively at the door for a few minutes, glancing back at Naruto several times, before she thanked the officer and he left.

Naruto didn't feel anything. It was a different kind of shock than the stun gun. It felt like it wasn't happening. That thing were just moving around him. Only the occasional stab of pain at his cheeks and drying of tears on his skin reminded him that this was real, not a terrible nightmare.

His okaasan returned and rechecked his wounds, wiping away the fresh ooze of blood. She cried and fretted, asking why he would do such a thing. But he didn't speak. There were no answers he was proud of, and it would only hurt her worse.

It was only when Sasuke awoke in the middle of the night to find Naruto weeping alone in the tiny bathroom that he confessed what had happened — all of it — and that he knew exactly what the officer meant. He would never be allowed to join the police force now. It would be a miracle if any academy would take him. He was marked like only the gang members were. The officer said he didn't know what life would hold for him now, except that one thing was certain, it would be hard.

Sasuke said nothing. And Naruto knew there was nothing he could say. Nothing could make it better. He had finally been caught…and this was a life sentence.

Naruto's bandages were wet with tears. Without a word, Sasuke carefully peeled them back. They stood together and looked in the dim mirror as Naruto turned and inspected the scabbed lines stretching from center of his cheek back to the edge of his jaw — three on each side — looking exactly like whiskers.

Naruto's chin crumpled. The movement hurt his wounds, but he didn't care. Sasuke wrapped an arm around his shoulders and let him cry.

Their heads, dark and light, huddled together in the mirror, was what Naruto remembered long after. Not the scars or the tears. Just the two of them, together. It would be the last time.

Two days later, the thin man from the Academy returned and Sasuke took the final exam. Naruto, cheeks still bandaged, stayed away. No one mentioned his name. It was as if he no longer existed.

The following week, their round-faced house mother who had dutifully massaged ointment into the wounds in the vain hope that it might lessen the scars, pulled back his bandages. She sighed and rubbed her hand wearily over her head.

But there was more bad news. She looked away, replacing the ointment in the first-aid kit and throwing away the last used bandages. She spoke quietly, as if somehow it might lessen the blow, "Sasuke's received his test scores. He passed. He'll be leaving for Academy housing soon."

Naruto nodded robotically. He knew Sasuke would succeed. He never had a doubt. Things always worked out for him.

Naruto turned to look in the mirror. The scabs were gone, and in their place were jagged pink lines. Fresh scars. They puffed thickly with new pink skin. There was no hiding them now.

"They've healed," she said, sadness beneath her words, as she looked in the mirror behind him.

Naruto knew what she wouldn't say. Soon he would have to leave too. They were aging out of the orphanage. At fifteen they were supposed to enter into academy and another child would take their place. Another child who desperately needed their clean bed and warm meals and place to call home. But for Naruto, the future was as shattered as the face looking back at him.

Naruto turned away without a word, leaving his worried okaasan standing there, clutching her hands. He stopped at the door. "Thank you," he said quietly. "For everything."

She dabbed tears from the corner of her eyes. But there was nothing either of them could do.

Sasuke left two days later. Naruto knew it was cowardly, but he stayed away, hiding on the roof until he was certain the Academy kids had gone. He couldn't bear the looks, the pity. He couldn't bear the thought of Sasuke wanting to save him again. When there was no way to be saved.

That night, lying on the roof trying to pick out stars through the haze, he realized the allure of the night market had left him. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he wished he could just stay there. He would never go to the night market again if he could just climb back downstairs and find Sasuke still in the bed beside his. Tears leaked into his hair. But just like Sasuke, their time at the orphanage was gone too.

Naruto was certain of nothing in his life now, save for one thing: He couldn't stay here. Technically, they couldn't ask him to leave until his fifteenth birthday. But that was still months away. And couldn't bear the thought of being there without Sasuke, waiting for his birthday like an execution date.

So he slipped back into his room to pack. Sasuke's bed was flat and empty. And Naruto's heart ached. He had put on a fresh set of clothes and shoved whatever money he had in his pocket before he realized there nothing else to pack. It was foolish to take a box of treasures when he didn't know where he was going. He cracked it open, peering at the trinkets that had once been so important, then so slid it under another sleeping boy's bed. He left the text book under his own bed, hoping it would rot there.

And for the last time, Naruto pushed out the screen, climbed down the well-worn foot holds, and followed the trail of gutter water to the market, leaving the orphanage and his old life behind him.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong>

So sad, I know. Just trying to make it as much of a tragedy in modern-day terms as the original story was. So it's not just that he's an orphan, but that he's been saddled with a burden that wasn't of his making, then left alone to face a cruel world that will always be disposed to hate him. Next chapter will be about how he fully hooks into Akatsuki, a modern triad-style gang still upholding some traditional beliefs.

I know I said the next update was going to be A Voice in the Wind...so I'm sorry! This one was ready and waiting, and I haven't had much time to write this summer. So I'd rather post something else than nothing at all. Thanks so much for all the steady comments and encouragement - Don't Worry! I'm finishing everything. Just been a bit busy lately! But I'm more committed than ever to give NS a happy ending since it didn't happen in the manga. So read happy!

I may not get a chance to respond right away, but please know I read every review/note and appreciate them all. So, please read and review, and as always check the website for previews of upcoming chapters!


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